The December 15, 2015 edition of Los Angeles Angels news includes Albert Pujols potentially getting more time off his sore feet, Pete Rose getting the cold shoulder from MLB, and more…
The Story: Pujols could see more time at DH in 2016
MWAH Says: If that means he’s healthier, then great. If that means we get 100 games of C.J. Cron at first, then slightly less great. I’m still holding out hope that Ji-Man Choi turns into a viable DH platoon partner for Cron and that maybe his glovework won’t be horrible. If that doesn’t work, there’s always Efren Navarro. Pujols, of course, will likely begin 2016 on the DL while he puts the finishing touches on the rehab from his foot operation, so the lineup for the first week of the season or so should be interesting.
The Story: Pete Rose denied reinstatement by MLB
MWAH Says: Surprise, Pete Rose is still banned for life because he did the one thing that gets a player banned for life. Tough luck, Pete. I think he (and the steroids folks) should still be in the Hall of Fame, because you can’t just hide from history, but reinstatement from MLB would be a bridge too far.
The Story: Putting a value on the future of Yoenis Cespedes
MWAH Says: I tend to view the whole field of long-term baseball projections as a crock. Your mileage may vary. This one is not so generous about Cespedes’ future, but it’s not the worst forecast either. Still think the Angels are best off with Justin Upton or Alex Gordon, despite the draft pick each will cost.
The Story: Several MLB players embark on three-day goodwill tour of Cuba
MWAH Says: No Angels players are participating in this inaugural goodwill trip, but Alden Gonzalez will be one of the two writers giving daily updates from the island. Jose Abreu and Brayan Pena have already been reunited with family for the first time in years, which is wonderful. I’m not so naive to think that normalizing relations with Cuba will bring only good, but I’m fairly confident the good will far outweigh the bad.
The Story: Giants sign Johnny Cueto to a six-year, $130 million deal
MWAH Says: San Francisco continues to gear up for its inevitable even-year campaign. With Cueto now in the fold, the rotation of Bumgarner, Cueto, Cain, Samardzija, Peavy looks ominous. If Cueto’s deal were a straight six years on top of the five years given to Samardzija, I could see the Giants coming to regret the $220 million they doled out for pitching this winter pretty quickly. With an opt-out for Cueto after two seasons, though, it’s tough to say anything bad about it.
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