The October 1st, 2014 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Hamilton and Shoemaker ready for ALDS, Angels to carry 12 pitchers and much more…
The Story: Josh Hamilton took live BP yesterday and declared himself ready for the ALDS.
The Monkey Says: He even thinks he’ll be able to play the field. Of course, this is Hamilton declaring himself ready. Scioscia and Dipoto have yet to confirm that he’ll be on the roster. He probably will, but it just isn’t official yet. Keep in mind though that even in this piece, Hamilton more or less admits that he is merely healthy enough to play, not necessarily healthy enough to be highly productive.
The Story: Matt Shoemaker felt good after a live bullpen session.
The Monkey Says: He is all but assured of making the ALDS roster and starting Game 3, though I could see the Angels pushing him back to Game 4 if they win the first two games. That way they can get him more rest if they end up sweeping.
The Story: The Angels are going to carry 12 pitchers on their ALDS roster.
The Monkey Says: That guarantees that Rasmus makes the roster. The final spot will likely go to Vinnie Pestano. Wade LeBlanc of Joe Thatcher could be carried as situational lefties, but if Hector Santiago starts Game 4, he should be available in Game 1 and Game 2 to serve in that role as well. Carrying an extra pitcher seems like a necessity for the Halos as they have to take precautions against Shoemaker’s health and the possibility of a disaster start from Santiago or C.J. Wilson. This also means that the bench will be shortened by one. That means one of Efren Navarro, Brennan Boesch and Tony Campana will get bumped off the roster, assuming Hamilton is healthy.
The Story: The Tustin City Council met behind closed doors last night to discuss the possibility of building a stadium for the Angels in Tustin.
The Monkey Says: No news yet on what actually happened in that meeting, but obviously this is only going to intensify the tension between the Angels and Anaheim.
The Story: Mike Trout is ready for his first postseason.
The Monkey Says: Is there really any question if he’ll be ready?
The Story: There is a very good chance of an All-California World Series.
The Monkey Says: Any combination of the teams would be intriguing. The Angels and Giants have battled in the World Series before, as have the A’s and Dodgers. A Bay Series rematch would surely be well received, but a first-ever Freeway Series would blow them all away.
The Story: Fox Baseball personalities make their postseason predictions.
The Monkey Says: Gabe Kapler is now your new favorite Fox baseball analyst, as if he wasn’t already.
The Story: The Outside Corner makes their postseason predictions.
The Monkey Says: Nobody (including myself) predicted the Angels to win the World Series, but five of the six (including myself) predicted they’d win the AL pennant. Five of the six (including myself) see the Nationals winning it all.
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