By Bruce Nye – AngelsWin.com Columnist 

The Angels relieved Mickey Hatcher of his duties as hitting coach yesterday surprising the sports world while at the same time, pleasing thousands of fans.  The Angels have been shut out 8 times this year more than any team at this date in MLB history since 1907.  Their hitting and scoring statistics are among the lowest in the American League.

Jerry Dipoto made the announcement last evening without Angels’ manager, Mike Scioscia present.  He said it was a sad day.  Mickey Hatcher had been the Angels hitting coach for 13 years – the longest by any MLB team.  Prior to that, Hatcher was the hitting coach for Mike Scioscia, when he managed the Dodgers’ AAA team in Albuquerque .  He also played with Scioscia as a member of the Dodgers.

Mickey was a lovable, fun loving guy whom, when with the Dodgers would dance and cheer while the Mickey Mouse song was played for him.  Hatcher carried around an over-sized glove with which he used to prank other players.

Once as a coach for the Angels, he found some green paint and  used it to paint himself from head to toe.  Mickey didn’t realize the paint was enamel, which wouldn’t allow his skin and pores to breathe.  After the players got their laughs at the Green Giant, he complained to Bert Blyleven that he couldn’t breathe and thus Mickey had a terrible time removing the paint.

For trivia buffs, Mickey was the replacement for Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series.  In that World Series, Hatcher hit a home run and raced (not trotted) around the bases.  This prompted Joe Garigiola to say, “He’s afraid they’re going to take it off the board.”   Hatcher was never known as a home run hitter, although he had decent hitting stats as a major league player.

Players and fans loved him until the Angels players offensive numbers began to slip downward.  Once in 2009 all nine players in the game had a .300 batting average or higher when the Angels had strong offensive numbers.  In 2010 and 2011, the offense  struggled much to the dismay of the Angels fans.  But in 2012, with expectations so high with the signing of Albert Pujols,  a return of a  healthy Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo, the Angels have stumbled out of the gate in April and mid-May.

Hatcher is an inspirational man with an upbeat personality.  He was a tireless worker with the players.  He preached his motivational message that the game is simple – relax and wait for your pitch.  Think positive.

Firing people is not new in the Angels organization.  They fired Eddie Bane after he selected Mike Trout in the draft and they fired Ned Bergert who was instrumental in 1992 in tending to several in the terrible bus accident.  He was later promoted to the head trainer.

So why was Hatcher fired?  He had a squabble with Albert Pujols in early May.  In a closed door meeting, Pujols told the players that an early season slump was not new for him and to keep the faith, because he will return to prior years’ form.  When Hatcher mentioned this to the media, there was a mild disagreement.  Pujols did not want any closed door comments mentioned in the media.  So was that it?

The decision goes deeper than that.  This was Jerry Dipoto’s decision and a message o Mike Scioscia.  In the past years, the Angels have not had a strong GM and it has been largely Scioscia’s team.  This is a message to Scioscia that his friend, Mickey had to go.  The numbers said so, and he said so.  Time will tell if this decision was wise.

The new hitting instructor, Jim Eppard comes from the Angels Triple A team in Salt Lake City where he was Trumbo’s and Mike Trout’s hitting coach.  Also, Eppard was in the Rockies organization and Dipoto is a big fan of his work.

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/A’s Recap:

WOW! In a 24-hour period so much has changed. This team is like a crazy roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain; the ups and downs of this season have fans everywhere jumping for joy one day and pulling their hair out the next. The Halos dropped the opener of their brief two game series with the Oakland Athletics but they managed to win game two for a series split. Although Tuesday’s game was just one game out of a 162 game season, it signified much more. I, like many of you, have thought this team was poised to break out numerous times this season..I actually think now is the time!

Albert Pujols went 3-for-4 on Tuesday, finally resembling the old Pujols that dominated baseball for 11 seasons in St. Louis. This was a much needed performance, not just for the Halos but for Pujols’ psyche. It’s no secret that he has looked lost at the plate recently, a 3-hit performance has to boost his confidence somewhat. Hopefully yesterday’s game is a sign of things to come and not an aberration.

Mike Trout continues to improve and produce. Let’s be honest, the Angels have had some big prospects come through the system that flat out flopped once they got to the majors, I think each and every one of us are crossing our fingers thinking Trout is just too good to be true. On Tuesday, Trout showed that he just might be the real deal as he went 3-for-4 with a home run, an RBI and 3 runs. Harper-Mania may be sweeping the east coast but so far in 2012, after only 57 at-bats, Trout has 3 home runs, 8 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases…all while batting .316. Over the course of 500 at-bats Trout’s projected numbers are 26 home runs, 64 RBI’s and 24 stolen bases. Not too shabby for a 20 year old leadoff hitter.

Although Pujols and Trout had big games, the biggest news happened off the field as General Manager Jerry Dipoto dismissed longtime Angels’ hitting coach Mickey Hatcher. I don’t want to criticize Hatcher anymore then has already been done but I think it was pretty apparent that a change had to be made. It was a loooong time coming. Although it didn’t work out this season for Hatcher with the Angels, I honestly wish him the best in the future.

Angels/A’s MVP(s)

Ervin Santana. Angel fans have gotta’ love the way Santana has turned his season around. After starting 0-6, he has won his last two starts, improving his record to 2-6. His ERA continues to drop with each outing, standing at 4.36 after Tuesdays win against the A’s. It was a big win by the Angels going into another short series against the Chicago White Sox.

Angels/Twins Preview

The Angels will welcome the Chicago White Sox to town for a quick 2-game series beginning tonight at the “Big A”. There is a lot to feel positive about if you are an Angels fan; Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are coming off of big offensive games, the bullpen has allowed only 1 earned run in the last 5.1 innings, and the Halos get a new hitting coach which will hopefully improve a lackluster offense. Although it’s a short series, it’s an important one because it starts a stretch in the schedule where the Angels will play 12 games against the White Sox, Padres, A’s and Mariners who have a combined 65-84 record. If the Angels are going to make a move and get back into the race before summer then this may be the stretch to do so.

Pitching Match-ups:

5/16 – Jerome Williams (3-1, 4.19 ERA) vs. Gavin Floyd (3-3, 2.53 ERA)

5/17 – C.J. Wilson (3-2, 3.42 ERA) vs. Chris Sale (3-2, 3.08 ERA)

Weather:

5/16 – Sunny with a high of 83 degrees

5/17 – Partly cloudy with a high of 80 degrees

Game Times/Channels/Promotions:

5/16 – 7:05 p.m. / FSW / Peter Bourjos Bobblehead

5/17 – 12:35 p.m. / FSW

Player to Watch:

Albert Pujols without a doubt is the player to watch this series. Fans, sports analysts and probably Pujols’ own teammates are wondering if yesterday was King Albert’s breakout game and a sign that he is back on track or if it was an aberration. The Angels will be facing two good young pitchers in Chris Sale and Gavin Floyd so it will be interesting to see how Pujols performs, especially now that the Halos have a new hitting coach.

Angels’ Team Statistics / League Rank (as of 5/7/12)

Offense

Avg.: .250 / 7th

OBP: .301 / 12th

SLG: .379 / 11th

OPS: .680 / 11th

Hits: 309 / 6th

HR: 32 / 10th

RBI’s: 127 / 12th

R: 134 / 12th

BB: 88 / 14th

SO: 248 / 10th

SB: 19 / 9th

Pitching

W: 16 / 11th

ERA: 3.93 / 7th

SV: 5 / 14th

SVO: 11 / 12th

IP: 322.2 / 10th

HR: 35 / 11th

BB: 106 / 12th

SO: 257 / 8th

Avg.: 245 / 7th

WHIP: 1.26 / 4th

Opponent Interesting Facts:

Founded: 1893, as the Sioux City, Iowa franchise in the minor Western League. Moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1895, then to Chicago in 1900 when that league was renamed the American League, and which became a major league in 1901.

Formerly known as: Sioux City Cornhuskers, 1894. St. Paul Saints, 1895–1899. Chicago White Stockings, 1900–1904.

Home ballpark: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago. (This park, originally known as “New Comiskey Park”, was opened in 1991; the original Comiskey Park was in use from mid-1910 to 1990. The original home field in Chicago was South Side Park. The previous home field in St. Paul was Lexington Park).

Uniform colors: Black, Silver, and White

Logo design: The letters “SOX”, interlocked in Old English Script font

Current Team motto: “Appreciate the Game”

2005 World Series Championship Season Motto: “Win or Die Trying”

Fight Song: “Let’s Go, Go-Go White Sox” by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers

All-time regular season record (through 2010): 8628 wins — 8413 losses — 101 ties — 3 no-decisions

Local Television: Comcast SportsNet Chicago, WGN, WCIU

Local Radio: WSCR 670AM “The Score”

Mascot: Southpaw

Television Announcers: Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone

Radio Announcers: Ed Farmer, Darrin Jackson

Spring Training Facility: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Arizona

By Scott Stedman – AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter

 

Salt Lake Bees - The Salt Lake Bees have have struggled since the losses of Mike Trout, Alexi Amarista and Jorge Cantu.  Overall, they are 18-19 on the season, good for 3rd place in the Pacific Coast League.  Offensively, the Bees have been led by Andrew Romine, Kole Calhoun and the veteran Ryan Langerhans.  Andrew Romine, the versatile 26-year-old infielder is hitting .333 in 132 at bats with 11 stolen bases.  In the field, Romine has helped manager Keith Johnson by making appearances at second and third base, as well as a number of starts at short stop.  Outfielder Ryan Langerhans, who signed a minor league deal with the Angels in the off season, has been perhaps the Bees most valuable player.  He is hitting .283 with an incredible .442 OBP!  Couple that with his 12 extra-base-hits, and you get a .920 OPS for Langerhans.  Another outfielder for the Bees who has been nothing but great is 24 year old Kole Calhoun.  The Angels got a good look at him in Spring Training, and liked what they saw, so they made Kole skip Double-A.  Calhoun, an 8th round pick out of ASU in 2010, has exceeded expectations at every level in which he has played.  This year, he is once again hitting over .300, with a .867 OPS and terrific outfield defense.  On the flip side of the ball, the pitchers have let down Salt Lake.  Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards have struggled mightily, each posting a WHIP in the 1.6 range.  Perhaps the only positive for the Bees’ pitching staff is 24-year-old closer, Ryan Brasier.  Brasier has posted a 1.32 ERA and has struck out 19 in his 13 2/3 innings of work this year. 

Arkansas Travelers - The Travs’ have struggled mightily in 2012 so far, posting a 14-21 record.  The pitching for Arkansas has kept them in most of the games, but the offense has had a hard time producing runs.  A.J. Schugel has anchored the rotation with a 3.20 ERA and a .222 batting average against (BAA).   The 22-year-old Schugel relies on the ground ball and pitching to contact.  Also, although his ERA may not show it (4.46) Ariel Pena has improved leaps and bounds from his last campaign.  Pena, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday next week, has his WHIP down to 1.21 from last year’s 1.58.  Earlier in spring, Mike Scioscia raved about Pena’s mound presence, so it would not surprise me to see him in September this year.  In the bullpen, Steve Geltz and Eddie McKiernan have shined.  Geltz, a 23-year-old power righty, has a 0.00 ERA and 23 Ks in 16 IP, and McKiernan has a 0.45 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP.  Offensively, the lone bright spot seems to be Jean Segura.  Segura, the Angels 3rd best prospect according to Angelswin, has turned it on for the Travs’ as of late.  In May, he is hitting .347 to raise his overall average to .289.  The speedy shortstop has stolen 14 bags this year in his age 22 season.  With Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick locked up long-term, Segura looks to be trade bait unless he can outperform one of the two aforementioned veterans in the coming years.

Inland Empire 66ers - Inland Empire is full of exciting young prospects, and has compiled a .500 record thus far.  Nick Maronde was dominating hitters before he went on the DL with a lat injury.  The former Florida closer has a 2.83 ERA and 35 Ks compared to just 9 BBs.  At any rate, Maronde could rise to be on national top prospect lists if he keeps this kind of performance up.  Closer Ryan Chaffee has been a man among boys this year, as evidenced by his 1.76 ERA and .180 BAA.  Last year was historically bad for Chaffee, so hopefully something has clicked for the tall right-hander this year.  Travis Witherspoon, an outfielder who turned 23 in April, has scouts drooling over his tools.  His power/speed combo is something rarely seen in prospects.  ‘Spoon is hitting .291 with a .776 OPS and 13 stolen bases after 36 games of play.  Second baseman Taylor Lindsey, 2011′s Pioneer League MVP, is hitting .286 with 9 walks.  Last year, he drew just 13 walks in the whole season, so hopefully this is a sign of improved plate discipline.  A former supplemental 1st round pick, Lindsey is still just 20 years of age.

Cedar Rapids Kernels – Cedar Rapids has had a hard time putting runs on the board, starting the 2012 season 15-21.  The only exciting offensive player for the Kernels has been third-baseman Kaleb Cowart.  Cowart, the Angels first round selection from the 2010 draft, has blasted 7 home runs already this year, which leads the whole Angels organization.  The 19-year-old Cowart has an OPS just below .800 in the Midwest League, a league notoriously difficult for power hitters.  If he continues to progress, it looks like Cowart may be an exciting player for the Angels.  Pitching wise, the Kernels have consistently gotten good performances from Austin Wood and Michael Clevinger.  Wood, a 6th round pick in last year’s June draft has K’d 38 batters in 32 innings and put up a 3.66 ERA in his 7 starts.  A very physical pitcher, the 21-year-old Wood challenges hitters with a mid-90s fastball and sharp breaking pitch.  Clevinger, another 21-year-old righty, has posted a 3.00 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP.  A 4th round pick in 2011 out of Seminole CC, Clevinger can pump his fastball in the upper 90s.  Wood and Clevinger look like very promising power pitchers, and could move up the ladder rather quickly in the Angels system.

Updates on top 10 prospect according to AngelsWin.com:

1. Mike Trout (CF) – Angels leadoff man.  He’s okay.
2. Garrett Richards (RHP) (AAA) – 4.66 ERA, 1.58 WHIP.
3. Jean Segura (SS) (AA) – Hitting .289, 14 stolen bases.
4. John Hellweg (RHP) (AA) – 4.84 ERA, having control problems again.
5. C. J. Cron (1B) (A+) – Hitting .254, limited power.
6. Taylor Lindsey (2B) (A+) – Hitting .286, improved discipline, but worrisome defense.
7. Matt Shoemaker (RHP) (AAA) – 6.86 ERA.
8. Luis Jimenez (3B) (AAA) – .277 average with .792 OPS.
9. Kole Calhoun (OF) (AAA) – Hitting .305 with 69 total bases, and outstanding defense.
10. Kaleb Cowart (3B) (A) – Hitting .265 with 7 HRs.

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

If you are a baseball nut like me you probably have your television tuned into the MLB Network the majority of the time. From MLB Tonight to Clubhouse Confidential, the MLB Network offers some of the best baseball coverage around. Perhaps the most unique show on the MLB Network though is Intentional Talk, which is hosted by Kevin Millar and Chris Rose. Launched in April 2011, Intentional Talk is MLB Network’s first true open forum where everyone and everything is the subject of discussion and opinion.

Millar and Rose focus on hot topics and current events in baseball, with appearances from special guests in sports, entertainment and pop culture, and an on-screen ticker displaying the latest headlines as well as feedback from Twitter and Facebook. Some of the most enjoyable reoccurring segments on the show include Kevin’s Highlights, Turning Two, Irrelevant Video of the Day, That was Awkward, and everybody’s favorite Got Heeeeeem!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow, Friday May 11th at 2 p.m. (PT) when Intentional Talk will be live from Rangers ballpark in Arlington, Texas to preview the upcoming Angels vs. Rangers series. Also, be sure to check back here, at AngelsWin.com, to read our recent interview with Millar. We cover a wide variety of topics with Millar including his memories of playing against the Halos, his thoughts on the 2012 team, and his projections for the Angels for the remainder of the season; some of his answers just may surprise you.