The November 18, 2015 edition of Los Angeles Angels news includes the team shifting responsibilities around for a number of coaches, Billy Eppler finally hiring an assistant GM, and more…
The Story: Gary DiSarcina moving to first-base coach
MWAH Says: Praise the baseball gods! I’m sure DiSar is great as a coach in several respects, but man was he terrible at third base. In his two years on the gig, he was persistently unaware of not only the arm strength of opponents’ outfielders, but also the speed (or lack thereof) of his own runners. The Angels had more runners thrown out at third and home (41!) than anyone else last season, and tied for the worst mark (also 41!) in 2014. DiSarcina’s move across the infield should help the team’s base-running immensely. As the play is almost always in front of the runner rounding first, the only thing a first base coach really does is hold elbow/shin guards and occasionally whisper sweet nothings into the runner’s ear. Hard to get that wrong. No word on what Alfredo Griffin’s role will be going ahead or who’s taking over at third.
The Story: Steve Martone hired as assistant GM
MWAH Says: I guess Billy Eppler is bringing a small team of people over from the Yankees after all. Martone worked as New York’s manager of pro scouting for the last two years, but had been with the Yankees in some capacity since 2007. No idea what focus Martone will have with the Halos, but I imagine player development will be involved.
The Story: Cliff Pennington signed to two-year deal
MWAH Says: This was probably Tuesday’s biggest Angels-related story, but it’s already been covered here so I opted not to give it top billing. Pennington is a poor hitter, but he’s a solid fill-in as a utility guy. Certainly better than anyone else in the system.
The Story: Lucas Luetge signed to minor-league deal
MWAH Says: Lefty bullpen depth is never a bad thing, but Luetge has a long way to climb up the depth chart to make it onto the active roster. With Tyler Skaggs and Nick Tropeano jumping into the rotation mix, there’s a chance Luetge would have to best not just Cesar Ramos and Jose Alvarez but Hector Santiago and C.J. Wilson as well. Luetge spent all but two innings at Triple-A in 2015, where he posted a 5.22 ERA.
The Story: Halos bats shine, but Solar Sox lose again
MWAH Says: Chad Hinshaw went 2-for-4 for the third consecutive game and Eric Aguilera blasted his second home run of the fall, but it wasn’t enough. Harrison Cooney also pitched two innings of shutout ball, dropping his ERA to 4.26(!). Alan Busenitz, meanwhile, raised his to 8.74 with an inning of not scoreless work.
The Story: David Ortiz is retiring after 2016
MWAH Says: Bummed that 2015 lacked a season-long farewell tour for a HOF-level player? Fear not! MLB will be right back at it next season, heaping gifts aplenty on perhaps the second-best DH of our generation.
The Story: Jeff Fletcher named chairman of LA/Anaheim BBWAA chapter
MWAH Says: If you have any complaints about the MVP results or Hall of Fame voting, tweet at Jeff. He’ll love it.
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