I repeat, will NOT be at Angels stadium.

It will be….

At Dodgers Stadium.

*Cue dramatic-you-did-not-just-say-that-how-dare-you music*

I know! I KNOW! I feel horrible! I feel like I’ve betrayed them. You guys understand right? I mean, we’re starting on the road anyways! Sigh, I hope you forgive me. You have to understand, our school was selling cheap tickets haha! 

So Dodger fans, I’ll be at the Dodgers v Giants game this Friday! See you there  

The Halos are starting on the road against Kansas City Royals which is a little bit weird because we always start off with some team in our division. However, I’m so excited and can’t believe that it’s finally time for a new season! In a way it feels like it couldn’t come soon enough but in another way it’s as if the year’s gone so fast! 

By the way this opening day marks not just the Angels’ 50th anniversary but it also marks my 10th year of being a baseball fan!!! Ten years of great baseball and I still can’t get enough! My grandparents and the rest of the family can’t wait to see what 2011 will bring! 

Fan loyalty surprises me in more ways than one. Even though our offseason wasn’t that great and things are looking slim, my grandfather looked at me and went “Let’s still root for the Angels this year!” And I agree! You stay with your team rain or shine. But I really hope it’s more shine than rain >_< I’ve earned more respect for fans who passionately support low performance teams. I understand how hard it is and for you all to still go to games and support them no matter what is so inspiring! Makes me want to be a better fan  

You never know what happens in baseball! It is truly unpredictable! That’s the thrill! 

So keep up the hope fans! It’s a new day! It’s a new dawn! 

TIME FOR BASEBALL! 

~Mimi

~ I arrived at college

~ I cried like a baby when I had to leave my parents

It was unfortunate for the Yankees and the Phillies However there’s nothing to be ashamed of! It was a good fight!

I can’t believe it’s finally time for the World Series. It seems like Opening Day was just yesterday. It’s bittersweet to me because though the World Series is so exciting, the baseball season is coming to a close. That means no more baseball until spring! *waterworks*

This World Series match up is so exciting! Haven’t seen a west coast World Series in a long time! Not to mention, the Rangers have never been to a World Series and the Giants haven’t won a World Series in 55 years! And the more interesting thing is that Bengie Molina (who was a Giant) will get a ring either way!  :O 

Now… I’m in quite a predicament because I have no idea who to root for! Sure I can just sit back and just watch without a particular favorite but it’s a lot more fun to root for a team. However I’m having such a hard time choosing that I debated my options in the shower this morning….

I’ve heard that a lot of important decisions are actually made in the shower!

So I guess I have a lot of showering to do……

Game 1: Cliff Lee v Tim Lincecum (I love great pitching match ups!) at San Francsisco! 

So as of now until the postseason I’ll be making some… well “keen” observations of my own and share them to all of you here at MLBlogs because heck I’m sure if you watch enough of the postseason games you’ll be noticing things too! 

First, I’d like to reiterate (as I have for the past two years) how….. (apologies for the brain fart it is as if there are no words to describe such a phenomenal individual) godly? (Some say that’s a bit too much and well it’s not right to treat athletes as holy but let’s put that aside for a little while). 

Let’s just face it….

Cliff Lee made history today by being the FIRST pitcher to collect three 10 plus strikeout games in the same postseason!!!!!!

Cliff Lee struck out 13 Yankee hitters tonight. THIRTEEN!. I’ve never seen such a dominant Yankee line up so confused and baffled. His curveball threw them all off and his change up.. well just plain nasty. Made those veteran Yankee hitters look plain silly!

That kind of performance…I mean I’m utterly speechless. He is one of those players that will never cease to amaze me. I love pitchers as people already know and he’s a definite fun one to watch. 

So I guess what I’m trying to say is….

~Mimi

Well, I guess we have to start somewhere so might as well start with this:

I always tell my non-baseball loving friends that postseason is a different breed of baseball. That it has no comparison to the regular season. Postseason brings out the anger in me that never really comes out on a regular basis. I call it passion. My friends call it “I’ve never seen you this way before!” Whether the Angels are in it or not, postseason is always fun for me! I get so riled up even though my team is not in it. As a baseball fan I can only appreciate this month with as much love as possible  

It’s the playoff atmosphere. It’s the electric crowds, the intensity, you can’t beat it.

There’s only ONE October!

With that said, I have a mouthful to spit out regarding the playoffs thus far so let’s start shall we?  

Warning: My playoff favorites are blatantly obvious… a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!

First of all I would like to congratulate the Yankees on advancing  

Oh Twinkies, I thought we had something special. Target Field is beautiful, you are no longer in the Metrodome and things were looking up despite all the troubles thrown at you in the beginning of the season.

Then you found out you had to face the Yankees in the postseason and all hell broke loose. I really thought this year was the year you could beat them. But you didn’t. In front of the booming crowd you had nothing to show for it and I was devastated. 3 game sweep was not something I was anticipating at all  

Anyone who’s read this blog long enough knows how much I respect and admire the Twins organization. From their front office to their fans, Twins are all class. Y’all deserve another championship and I am certain that you will get one. Oh yeah and Ron Gardenhire is here to stay! 

Keep your head up Brian Deunsing! 

I’d like to congratulate the Phillies for advancing  

Oh Reds, while you have brought optimism and the thought of “winning” back to Cincinnati (as well as bringing the Great American Ball Park back to life) it all ended too soon. Being no hit on the first day must have been a sign because the following games were just… unfair Marred with errors and a pretty small strike zone (umpire rant saved for later) you couldn’t keep up with the 2008 World Series Champions.

Keep your head up Brandon Phillips!

The Reds deserve credit for their season nonetheless. They are a good team and no one expected much out of them. Despite the 3 game sweep, I was impressed with Aroldis Chapman and the electrifying crowd at the GABP. Winning is now the new mojo! And it sounds pretty good  

We were this close to another playoff sweep when the momentum shifted and the sleeping beauty Rays finally woke up. This is more like it! The pressure is on, Cliff Lee is starting game 5 and the Rays are chillin on their We Farms.

Best of luck to both teams tomorrow! 

Game 1: Tim Lincecum couldn’t have pitched any better. Not to mention he’s quite a firecracker. He’s remarkable! What a stud! Braves offense couldn’t do much against his stuff I admit. 

Game 2: Thank you Braves for being the only team who hasn’t gone down 2-0. Also, thank you for an extra inning show down that kept me on my toes! The combination of Kyle Farnsworth shutting batters down, Troy Glaus throwing to second for the double play AND Rick Ankiel‘s timely home run was almost too much to handle!!! Things were looking up when…. Billy Wagner was lost Must all things go the opposite way?!?!

Game 3: Two words. Brooks. Conrad. As unfortunate as this game was, I think we will always look back and think of his name. Tim Hudson pitched beautifully. 55,000 fans doing the tomahawk brought goosebumps. The Braves offense was atrocious. Jonathan Sanchez pitched remarkably. The Braves offense was atrocious. Eric Hinske‘s home run brought back life. But all of that doesn’t seem to matter, for Brooks Conrad was the one who made history. History for making the most errors in the postseason (eight) with three in game 3. 

Though angry at first I felt extremely sympathetic towards Conrad. He worked hard to get to where he’s at (He is a rookie at 30 years old, just called up for an injured all star Martin Prado) not to mention he is part of the reason why the Braves are where they at. He is a good person too.I think this situation requires perspective. Yes as fans we are allowed to get angry for it is just a game. In the end, it’s all over we wait again for a new spring but for athletes it’s their care
er. That can haunt them forever. Players, much like us, have dreams that they long for. 

Seeing the losing team’s dugout always breaks my heart to a point where I don’t stick around long enough to watch them. Sure the smiles and excitement  of the winning team are great but the sad faces, the disappointment is too crushing. Baseball can tear you apart. Life just the same. It’s something we all go through. It goes to show that no matter who they are they have families. They are a brother, a father, a husband a son… so here’s to hoping the Braves can bounce back!! And I know you’re setting yourself up for criticism when you choose to be an athlete but I hope Braves fans forgive him. He’s going through enough…

best of luck to both teams although this rally song really makes me want to root for the Giants as well. Gahh conflict! 

Umpires 

I’m sad that it’s only my first game of the year but at least I’m going to one! 

There’s something about Angels Stadium that’s very.. refreshing and relaxing. I love going to baseball games. The atmosphere is always perfect! 

I’ve been very stressed this past month so it’ll be nice to just let things go and have a good time!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer! Off I go to catch Ervin Santana & the Halos face Wade Davis and the Rays. 

I’m not sure where to begin with Torii Hunter so I guess we can start from the beginning. Torii Hunter was born and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas to a family of 5. His father wasn’t around much because of his problems with drugs so that left his mother in charge of 4 boys. It was hard for them because of the rough area they were in. He soon became a father at the tender age of 16 and married a year later. He soon graduated high school and was selected as the Minnesota Twins’ first round pick in 1993. 

He made his debut in 1997 as a pinch runner for the Minnesota Twins. In his ten years with the Twins, Hunter was not only a household name but put up incredible numbers. One of the best center fielders in the game, Torii has earned 9 consecutive Gold Gloves since 2001. He is a 4 time all star making his first appearance in 2002 and became the first Twin since Kirby Puckett to start an all star game in centerfield. And that all star game was one for the history books. How could we not forget that catch to rob Barry Bonds of a homer? 

I was a fan of Torii’s as long as I was a fan of baseball and I’ve always saw him as a Twin. I was as shocked as Twins fans when I found out he signed with the Angels in 2009. After my initial shock, I immediately began getting very excited. One of my favorite players was now on my favorite team.

Torii Hunter has been with the Angels for 2 years now and I can’t say enough about what he means to the organization and to the fans. Of course his talent can speak for itself but that’s not what separates him from everyone else. You don’t realize the kind of impact a player can make until he is finally on your side and let me tell you, the Twins lost a great player. Torii’s competitive and passionate about the game. He works hard everyday to improve and he gives his all to the team every single day. Sometimes his competitive nature proves to be a bit overwhelming which could explain his spat with the umpire that led to his suspension. I have one thing to say about that in his defense. It was probably out of frustration and the fact that he tries so hard to pick up the team whenever we are on a slump. To have that much on one’s plate and for him to actually take the initiative and be the leader the Angels need…. That’s a lot of pressure. Us as fans and the team rely on Torii to be that leader on and off the field and that is a role he has taken wholeheartedly. There were some controversial issues that surrounded Torii Hunter but I truly believe that whatever it was, it wasn’t out of ill will. Anyways, I’m not trying to give any excuses for he is capable of representing himself. 

Torii Hunter won the Silver Slugger Award in 2009 thus proving that he’s still got some gas in the tank. He’s a streaky hitter but when he’s on he’s explosive. And his defense? Centerfield has become HIS spot, much like Derek Jeter with the shortstop position. However, that was forced to change as circumstances arose. As you all probably know by now, Torii Hunter permanently moved to right field for rookie and top prospect Peter Bourjos. Peter Bourjos is quite a talent and very fun to watch. Has speed out in center and has great potential. Torii has claimed that him moving to right was all his decision. No one else’s. He wasn’t forced out at all. In fact, Torii was the first one to talk to Bourjos after the move, telling him that he was available if Peter ever needed any help. 

For Torii to move out of center, the position he’s held for 12 years, was not only the end of an era but an act that took great humility. The man hasn’t played right field since 1999! He couldn’t have handled the situation with more class and grace. The act alone made me appreciate and be grateful towards the person Torii is. I thank him for the sacrifice he made for the team and for always putting the team first. Our outfield is loads better now! 

I also like to thank him for his efforts to combat poverty in the area and helping out the community the best he can. He has the “Torii Hunter Project Education Initiative” that gives out scholarships to students in various areas. Ballplayers don’t have to be humanitarians, in fact they don’t really have to give back at all. It’s nice to see him so passionate about giving back and so down to earth towards fans too. It’s great to see him always smiling, always positive, always willing to talk with anyone especially the kids. Baseball is a tough game. You get caught up in the business side of it all sometimes and you forget that it’s a kid’s game. I thank him for reminding us that baseball is fun and we should just take a moment to enjoy it all.

I hear all the time that Torii Hunter is overrated when talking about the game’s greatest centerfielders and I’ve seen him on a couple of “most overpaid players” lists.. and I understand people’s arguments completely. BUT he has many other qualities that you can’t put a price tag on. He’s light hearted, he’s giving, he’s diligent and you can go on and on. 

I’m always envious when people talk about the players they’ve seen play in their lifetime (Babe Ruth, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays etc). I get disappointed when I see clips of these great players because I wasn’t around to see them at the peak of their successes. I only get to see their last at bat or when they get inducted to the Hall of Fame or when they are guests on the booth in the 4th inning. Their careers for me are only flashbacks and old video clips. However, I’m thankful for the opportunity to watch a player like Torii Hunter every single day. I can only imagine the kind of love he gets still from Minnesota Twins fans. He’s the kind of player I’d be happy to say that I got to see play as a young person. 

 I can’t think of anyone who is more deserving of a World Series ring. 

The Angels are set to play game two of the series against the Toronto Blue Jays this evening and I’m sure we’ll see this two time all-star and 12 year veteran giving his all… in right field

He has a blog, Torii’s Storiis, on MLBlogs so please check it out! He updates it often and it’s one of my favorite player blogs right along side with Bengie Molina!

I’ve recently been thinking a lot about life I guess. My other grandfather (I’ve talked about my grandparents on a post awhile ago. My grandpa who loves baseball is still alive) passed away at the age of 94 on August 9th. It was sad but he lived a long enough life so I believe he’s okay . The interesting thing is that my aunt is in labor right now with her 3rd child as i type. It’s amazing how the circle of life works. How death, in my case, is so close to life. So I’m thankful

I’ve also been thinking a lot and actually going completely crazy because I leave for college in 2 weeks. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t have a psychologist because I have such massive paranoia! I have dreams to be an elementary school teacher (I’m majoring in elementary education) but I also have a huge passion for writing (as you can probably tell ;D). I plan to do both but not sure how yet...  

Thank you for reading! Thank you thank you thank you! It’s a shock that you even visit my page at all! Coming in as #32 on the list of July is just.. well it’s great I’m very grateful!

~mimi

“it’s a beautiful day for a ball game, let’s play two!” ~ Ernie Banks

It can break your heart into itty bitty pieces. 

Before I continue I thank Hyun Young of Perpetual for choosing the topic of today’s blog  

5. Curtis Granderson

Curtis couldn’t be more classy… or handsome

So that’s all folks! I’m sure there are more out there but I think five is enough don’t you?

And quickly before I go, here are some pictures from my Comic-Con trip

In the span of 4 days there were about 130,000 attendees. There were movie panels and the exhibit halls were filled with people. There was a lot of waiting in line and standing but all worth it! 

Comic Con was held in the San Diego Convention Center and it was also RIGHT next to Petco Park. In fact, I actually had time to chat with a gentleman who works at Petco. It was fascinating to actually see the ballpark so close up! It only makes me want to go next time and catch the Padres . Speaking of Padres, I got to meet Ashley Eckstein! She wasA showcasing her new clothing line, Her Universe, which is basically Star Wars apparel for women. She was so sweet and so beautiful! Comic Con was exhausting but definitely a highlight of my summer!

 The Angels won the series against the Texas Rangers this weekend thus making them 8 games out of first. Catching Texas is not impossible but it’s definitely looking slim :( I have to give Jered Weaver credit for another fantastic start. He’s a true ace indeed. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for him.

As always, thank you for reading

Until then,

~Mimi

I promise the details on Comic Con and such will come later but I would like to move on to the real topic of this post which is the Dan Haren, Joe Saunders + minor leaguers trade that caught the baseball world by storm. 

I come back from my San Diego trip to see that the Angels are 7 games behind the Texas Rangers. I couldn’t be more upset and disappointed. Then I find out about the trade.

I am excited that Dan Haren is on the team. He is a favorite pitcher of mine and I’m familiar with him because he was on the A’s long ago. He’s having a good season and could help us out. I am confused though because our starting pitching is actually very good. It didn’t need help. We have a disastrous bullpen and an even worse offense and I don’t understand why the front office didn’t meet those needs. Maybe the Angels aren’t done yet but all I know is that we need to step up big time. The offense is just not bringing it. I don’t know what we need to do to catch up to a tremendous Texas Rangers team but something needs to happen. 

I want to take a minute to give my love to Joe Saunders. He’s not well known throughout MLB and I know he’s not some supestar ace but he means a lot to me. I don’t know if you all know but Joe Saunders was my favorite pitcher in our starting 5 and one of my favorites on the team. He has a good change up and has the personality that sets everyone at ease. A graduate of Virginia Tech he was drafted in the 1st round by the Angels in 2002. He was first called up August 16th 2006 to set up Frankie Rodriguez against the Blue Jays. Since then he continued to be sent down and called up, sent down and called up until finally in 2008 he was given a stable role in the rotation. 2008 was a great season for him because not only was he given a stable role, he was also chosen to represent the Angels in the 2008 All Star game, pitching one scoreless inning. Oh and his daughter, Matea Saunders, was born too  

Joe Saunders is as classy as you can get. He’s respectful towards fans and always gives a 110% no matter what. He’s coming off a shoulder injury from last season and had a rough first half but he’s certainly been doing well these past few starts. I’m thankful for all that he’s done for the community and for fans. One game that will continue to stick in my head is that game against Zack Greinke and the Royals in May of 2009 (the same year Greinke won the Cy Young).  It was his first shutout and his performance was sparkling. It couldn’t have been more tense and exciting. The Angels ended up winning 1-0. Another memorable moment was when he wore his Virginia Tech cap to pay homage to his alma mater and those who lost their lives in the shooting. His father is a professor at the University as well.

He’s come off a shoulder injury that hurt his numbers but overall he’s a good pitcher. He’s given us many shut out innings and sparkling performances. The offense just sucks. He has also given us a lot of post season magic as well which I appreciate very much.

It’s tough to see somebody you’ve seen grow in the organization… leave the farm? I guess? I don’t know how to put it. I just get so emotional when players leave it’s probably because I get so attached. It was tough on Joe too because he cried during his pregame interview when asked how he felt about the trade. I got choked up as well seeing him shed tears about the trade. You don’t see that in sports these days. It’s hard because you get caught up in the business side of the game and for athletes this is their jobs. It’s easy not to care. And fans rarely expect that kind of emotion anymore. I think it takes a special person to show sensitivity and vulnerability about leaving a team that’s done so much for you and vice versa. The interview was done right after Joe found out he was traded so his emotion was very understandable. I was a bit surprised that the reporters got to him so quickly after his meeting with Sosh. His genuine emotion was so heartbreaking to see. 

I thank Joe for being emotional and for caring. It’s been a great 8 years in the organization and I know he has the stuff to be successful on any team. The Diamondbacks are lucky to have him!! I hope they treat him well! I will continue to give him as much support as I have when he was on the team as will many other Angel fans. We love our former Angels (well… some of them anyway )