Halo Hotline

No CC Sabathia in LA

Well, in what might be GREAT news for the Halos, CC Sabathia will sign with the Yankees; so says the New York Post.  Now they should be able to sign Tex, however, he is now leaning towards the BoSox....  We'll just have to see if the Halos get shut out of all of the top free agent signings.  The best pitcher now on the market is definitely Peavy, however, it looks like he'll go to the Cubs.

The Justin Speier Line-ups Video

Well, we decided we didn't want MLB or FOX to sue us for infringing on their copyrights...so we're working on getting the video set up.... when we can have it online we will tell everyone.

"Black Magic" Gets Some Daytime Mojo

Halos:  5R, 9H, 1E
Twinkies:  4R, 8H, 0E
Just another Halo victory...
Except this time it was Ervin Santana (1-0, 3.00ERA, 6IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3K) getting it done... IN THE DAYTIME and NOT IN THE BIG A!
He did have a little offensive help, from Gary "GMJ" Matthews (1-4, 2RBI, HR), Torii Hunter (1-4, RBI, HR), and Mike "Nipples" Napoli (1-4, RBI, HR).  In addition, the "pen," pulled his butt out of the fire too.  Darren Oliver (H, 1, 6.75ERA, 0.2IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER) and Justin Speier (H, 1, 6.75ERA, 1.1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1HR) had shaky outings but kept the Twins from knotting up the score.  Then Frankie "K-Rod" Rodriguez (S, 2, 0.00ERA, 1IP, 2BB, 2K) closed out the 9th for the Halos in a typical and exciting K-Rod style.
This was, again, not "championship" caliber baseball, however, it kept us on top of the standing in the AL West... not that it's time to start looking at the scoreboard... yet....  The team is, however, gaining steam with every game.
Check back later today for tonight's home opener pre-game....

Vlad Guerrero AL Player of the Week

Vladdy will be sharing AL Player of the week honors with A-Rod...

Who do you think had a better week, click through to the read the rest of the post and let us know who should've gotten the nod.

Clubhouse Chemistry Gone? And More Trade Rumors

Mark Saxon, at the OC Register, has hit the nail on the head. In his Change in personality article he talks about the fact that the team isn't what it was in 2002. The article says things like baseball teams are increasingly collections of individuals rather than, "Bands of Brothers," striving to win as one. It closes with this quote, a very telling one, from Tim Salmon:

"The leadership style of the '90s is transitioning out of the game. I just think it's more of an easygoing climate," Salmon said. "It's not necessarily bad, it's just changed. There are more TVs in the clubhouse than I can ever remember, and they're on a lot more things other than baseball."

Adding to that trend the Register is also listing the following in trade rumors:
Carl Crawford (TB) - LF
Craig Wilson (PIT) - 1B
Miguel Tejada (BAL) - SS
Alfonso Soriano (WAS) - 2B/OF
Carlos Lee (MIL) - LF
Miguel Cabrera (FLA) - 3B
Bobby Abreu (PHL) - RF
Aramis Ramirez (CHC) - 3B
Jacque Jones (CHC)

These players would come at a cost, here's who seems to be "on the block:"
Brandon Wood - P SS (I wish I could read)
Chris Bootcheck - P
Howie Kendrick - 2B
Erick Aybar - IF
Adam Kennedy - 2B
Ervin Santana - P
Jeff Weaver - P

And it doesn't seem like money is an issue. The LA Times is reporting that Arte Moreno would add $10MM or more to the current $103MM payroll, "in a second." It what looks like a, "get it done or get out," challenge to Stoneman, Moreno is quoted as saying that Stoneman, "has no handcuffs on him," to make the team better.

Erstad Makes ESPN’s Kamikaze List, DL a Possibilty

Darrin is featured as the first-baseman in ESPN's All-Kamikaze team here.

The LA Times is reporting that Ersty is not expected to start against the Giants and might make a return to the DL. He's being relegated to a reserve roll right now, and, in my opinion, if he has to head back to the DL, should just bite the bullet and get the surgery.

Trade Rumors / Injury Updates / DFA Rumors / Etc...

According to ESPN, the Toronto Star is reporting that the Anaheim Angels of Toronto are still interested in acquiring Halos 2B Adam Kennedy. AK, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, is faced with prospects Howie Kendrick and Macier Izturis looking at the starting 2B spot next season. Toronto has been dangling Shea Hillenbrand in front of Bill Stoneman in an attempt to pick up AK. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, AK and OC are finally getting themselves together as a solid defensive pair in the middile of the infield.

The AP is reporting, via ESPN, that Mike Scioscia and Buddy Black had a nice little meeting with J.C. Romero on Sunday. Scioscia commented, to the media, that the meeting was, "very positive," however, it is Mike's style not to say anything else and so, we can infer, from past "meetings," that J.C. got the shape up or be shipped out message. Also present at the meeting, according to the LATimes.com, were catchers Mike Napoli and Jose Molina, bullpen coach (and former bullpen catcher) Orlando Mercado, and bullpen catcher Steve Soliz.

Erstad, who's 1-9 in two rehab starts is expected to rejoin the Halos later in the week. His anemic hitting in the minors begs the question, will he be back in CF as soon as he comes back, and, if so, what happens to Figgins and Rivera, both of whom are hitting better than Ersty.

Colon looks sharper, he is scheduled for his second, and probably last, rehab start with the SLC Bees on Tuesday. He should be back in the rotation by the weekend, when that happens what becomes of the starting 5? Do we move JC to AAA, move Kelvim back to the 'pen, move Jeff Weaver out there? There are some tough choices coming up for Halo management.

In other notes it sounds like, from the media, that former bench coach, and now Tampa Bay manager, Joe Maddon was a key ingredient in the Halos clubhouse. Vets like Kennedy and Salmon saying that he did a great job of keeping the clubhouse "lighthearted."

Signings, Injury Updates, Draft News, All-Star Updates

"Who doesn't want to play here? This organization should be in the top two or three in baseball." - Kelvim Escobar via the LA Times

And why wouldn't he say that, he signed a 3-year, $28.5 million dollar deal yesterday to stay with the Halos. This speaks, however, to the character of the team, it's management, and it's clubhouse. It looks like things are heading in the right direction, now let's hope that management continues to sign the players that are important. This signing rounds out the starting pitching staff with the following:
Bartolo Colon - 2007
John Lackey - 2011
Kelvim Escobar - 2009
Ervin Santana - 2011
Jeff Weaver - 2006
Jered Weaver - 2010 (I belive, correct me if I'm wrong)

The 2006 draft is less than a week away, now, with day one of the first-year player draft on Monday, June 6, 2006. For more info on the draft order go here. The Angels, though, have the 25th pick (from Cleveland for Byrd), in the first round, and then don't pick again until 102, in the 3rd round. They also have one pick in gth 4th and 5th, and additional rounds. I suspect, between this draft and deals on the horizon, Bill Stoneman is pretty busy these days. In a pre-draft signing, the Halos signed ex-Florida-Gator Darren O'Day (RHP) to a minor league deal earlier in the week as well.

In All-Star balloting news, the only Halo in the top-5 by position is Vlady (only 2K votes behind Manny) in the OF spots. No other Halo is looking too good right now, and, honestly, they're not playing all-star ball ... so ...

In injury news Erstad is still improving, though, I'm sure, not as fast as he would like. Napoli missed another game last night with the ankle sprain, however, has been in late in two games so he's probably going to be back in there starting on the road trip. Bartolo starts his rehab assignment today with a start in Rancho Cucamonga for the Quakes; he threw 4.0IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K. Depending on post-game evaluation, he should be moving on to AAA Salt Lake for his next assignment soon. Maicer Izturis is also in rehab mode for the Halos and is currently with the AAA Bees in SLC. Bootcheck, also, is in Salt Lake with the Bees on rehab.

Mike Scioscia Named In Top 5 Managers In MLB

Sports Illustrated has named Mike one of the top 5 active Managers in the MLB.

Bill Plaschke Gets It Right

Today's Plaschke Column in the Los Angeles Times sums it up. He talks about Ersty's rant the other night in the clubhouse. He talks about the importance of Ersty as a team leader...and he talks about the possibility that the Halos will let Ersty leave after this season, something that those of us here at Halo Hotline think is one of the WORST possible moves that Stoneman could make. Move him back to 1B, keep him healthy, sign him to a 3y deal. His current salary, $8.75M for '06, is meager compared to the MLB average for players like him. It is a bad sign that Soneman, or Moreno, or whoever, doesn't understand the CRITICAL importance of leadership on the team, apparently.