The August 22nd, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including a ridiculous Angels-Red Sox-ESPN manager three-way swap, Mike Butcher defends his job, Hunter thriving in the two-hole and much more…
The Story: Bob Nightengale suggest the Angels, Red Sox and ESPN perform a three-way manager swap.
The Monkey Says: This is just ridiculous. I get the notion that the easy-going Terry Francona is a fit in Anaheim and that Bobby Valentine was an ESPN announcer before taking the Red Sox job, but I can't imagine why Scioscia would go to the Red Sox. Yes, they are a big-spending franchise, but they are also a drama factory. The big issue in Boston is that there is a power struggle in the front office and as a manager used to have to major say in all moves, Scioscia can't possibly find such a situation attractive and I imagine Boston ownership might feel the same way. As overblown as this Scioscia being on the hot seat story is, keep in mind that he is still a valuable commodity and would probably have offers from half the teams in baseball within an hour of him being let go by the Angels. That is only a slight exaggeration.
The Story: Mike Butcher fends off criticism of his handling of the pitching staff.
The Monkey Says: Saying "I'm not going to defend my job" is about the most defensive thing one can say. If he is already going to be this chippy about becoming Mickey Hatcher version 2.0, I'm not sure how long he will last.
The Story: Torii Hunter is thriving in the two-hole.
The Monkey Says: Hunter says he shortened his swing to hit for a better average even though it means sacrificing some power. With a .342/.372/.479 slash line in the two-hole, that is exactly what is happening. However, it has also lead to him seeing a sharp decrease in his walks. Personally, I'd rather have the walks and the power, but what he is doing right now seems to be working well enough.
The Story: A look at C.J. Cron as he continues to set team records for the High-A Inland Empire 66ers.
The Monkey Says: The note on his road splits is interesting and makes his move to Double-A very interesting because the Arkansas Travelers play in a stadium that is just horrible for hitters. Cron has some doubters because his plate discipline isn't as refined as first thought when he was drafted, but if he can put up good numbers with the Travs next season, those haters should be silenced pretty quickly.
The Monkey Says: This rehashes what I just said above, but it is such a great point that it bares repeating. That being said, even the best of managers lose their connection with a club if they have been their long enough.
The Story: Steve Green is the amazing Mr. Loophole.
The Monkey Says: This profiles Green, the player that the Angels used to exploit a roster rule that allowed them to sneak K-Rod onto the 2002 Angels playoff roster. Thanks, Steve!
The Story: Don't bury the 2012 Angels just yet.
The Monkey Says: I couldn't agree more.
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