MLBPA is better at using their words than I am... "flat out bad" is a good alternative to "[expletive] [expletive]"

I like the thinkers over here more than the other place... with most pitchers moving to extremes of high release or low launch, does anyone actually throw from an average 3/4 slot or is the statistical average just a result of the extremes meeting in the middle?

Matt Ponatoski, most interesting dude in the 2026 MLB Draft

Tai Peete part of the Donovan return, love the arm and athleticism, don't like he was moved off the dirt, and don't think he can hit, but man, move that kid to the mound and I think you've got a big leaguer; I'll buy on the prospect outcome variance there (Cijntje is also a stud athlete)

concept: MLB teams can "loan" players to other leagues (NPB, KBO, DWL) as part of development or extended dev for time missed (similar to Arizona Fall League); development control will be problem with rotating coaching but talent testing would give variance of great and poor while growing int'l game

Bo Bichette will make $42M each of the next three years, Dante Bichette made $42.8M total during his playing career

Tatsuya Imai window closes in 30 hours, continue hearing he'll get top of market dollars ($150-200M) with how pitching market now operates (youth/control/cost), which uniquely (not really) takes me to the question: why is the Chicago sports epiphet led by our den-dwelling friends of the woods

Drew Pomeranz / Jordan Romano signing happened while watching "Wake Up Dead Man" which means I wasn't able to proclaim Glenn Close as the queen to the masses on the other bluebird social anxiety application because I'm a pro's pro (I'm not, thanks for understanding. Glenn Close 4eva, screw the h8rs)

Rule-5 is cool, Rule-4 is cooler(er)

Zac Gallen at $22M AAV should have been a sign to triple check, love Bob, but man

Spotify did not take into account that I chose to listen to Stephen Wilson Jr. and Charles Wesley Godwin more than other artists this year, but hey, Zach Bryan is still cool (and I apparently listened to him, a lot) -- either way, I'm a sad man who listens to emotional country songs about being sad

Cedric Mullins at 1/$7M is an incredible get for Tampa (or anyone that would have granted); he's not the 5+ WAR dude he was during the juiced ball era, but his last three years: - 2.2 fWAR/162 - 50 XBH/162 - 31 SB/162 - 99 wRC+ Rays with smart spending on moderate impact value at premium position

Alek Manoah at double-and-a-half league minimum is a bit more than a "show-me" deal, options give options but Angels seem to be taking a flier when looking for an answer

Cease at 7 years is good when you consider years 1,3,5, and 7 will be good based off his previous Saberhagenmetrics.

also, side note, starting pitcher is going to cost you $17M+ AAV on the norm which might mean you see a shift in how we (and by we, I mean me) evaluate projected starting pitchers, particularly, draft eligible kids who project as starting pitchers with limited relief doubts

Hej sociala vänner, my family planned a trip to Sweden with a departure date (from Sweden) on the day of the MLB Draft, which, if you're unaware, I get paid to cover, putting me in a perplexing situation -- has anyone used in-flight WiFi and if so, is it good enough to cover a draft from 35K feet?

Adam Eaton making leap from Michigan State development director to Angels big-league base and outfield coach; John Gibbons bringing much-needed experience (1500+ gms) to chair next to Kurt Suzuki

Tony Blanco Jr. hit a ball 123mph tonight, which is impressive enough on its own, but he also did it on a BP pitch, which is like, brain-hurting mythological kind of crap

Munetaka Murakami brought internal debates about whether hit tool can be fixed enough to get to power enough to pay enough for first baseman with alarming hit tool -- FO roundtable seems fun at times but when $150M+ is on the line, that decision ain't a fun one to think about being wrong on

Shapiro and Atkins gunning for it, good on 'em

happy for Shapiro and Atkins

Richard Conway smiling upon his work

Shohei just shooting 118 EV out the gate, because, like, I don't know man, it's annoyingly good

Aroldis sandbagging?

Ray Montgomery surprised me with his baseball prowess and decision-making in a positive, but the results speak for themselves as does the bulk of his decision-making; may not ever be a big-league manager again but he's more a baseball man than I thought

Skubal on Saturday, Crochet on Sunday... Sox and Tigers and Bears and stuff, oh my...

Matthew Stafford, known mostly for being a high school classmate of Clayton Kershaw, is attending Clayton Kershaw's final regular season start; Stafford is believed to be in town for work related items

You may be an open book [social media], but I'm a bit more complicated than that. The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma. ... social media is a dark place, and it sucks...

Anthony Rizzo has all the accolades of being forever remembered as a star without the Hall of Fame label, incredible career, incredible dude

as Cal League playoffs begin, a quintet of Angels kids will have an opportunity to play in three professional championship series in the span of 13 months: - Yokelvin Reyes - Ubaldo Soto - Brayan Vergara - Marlon Quintero - Hayden Alvarez

this Shohei Ohtani guy is pretty good, eh?

I, like you, came over here today to see if there was anything different that the other blue bird stuff -- guess not, see you all soon

I once again return to the other bluebird app with a concept, not sure what it would be called and how to average out evolving offensive traits but may encapsulate offensive production from simplicity: (TB+BB+HBP)+(SB-CS)+(SH+SF)-(K)-(GISPx2) = (offensive production?) -- idk, thinking out loud

Day in the Life of TBW: *feels confident after finishing work request* *checks maximum word count* *notices he is 500+ words over count* *screams internally attempting to refrain from profanity at self* on a semi-related note: Corona HS is loaded and worth a lot of words to talk about

deja vu, veja du, vuja de

Thrice waxed lyrical poetry once when they sang: RED, I'M SEEING RED I'M SEEING RED I'M SEEING RED I'M SEEING RED I'M SEEING RED

Albert Morel got big boy dollars for Angels incoming int'l pitchers at $400K -- loose arm/wrist with delivery to project starter chances and more incoming velo (sits upper 8's), soft cut/slide piece could be something with more intent, far distanced follow arm who'll spend DSL year as 17-year-old

if you pitch in the Dodgers system, it may be time to look at real estate in Oklahoma

as I do yearly updates, I progressively see more grey hair and bags under the eyes -- I'm now older than 97% of the players in the Angels organization (only six dudes older)

Blue Jays already $27K+ up on what Dodgers can max out on, this is all in the hands of Roki Sasaki and Wasserman

Shapiro and Atkins gunning for it, good on 'em

Gabriel Davalillo tops Angels 2025 int'l signing class, buying the bat here with balanced average-or-better offensive tools but he's got enough glove/arm to make a living behind the dish -- athleticism needs to stick as he adds to phys as does focus on defense if swing holes create plate struggles

2025 International Signing Period begins tomorrow, here is an important personal note I share yearly

go sports team

I had my Roki Sasaki money on the Rangers, but I don't bet, so I only lose internal pride

Dodgers fully circling second base who can hit from the left side in some capacity -- Gavin Lux, Tommy Edman, Hye-Seong Kim, where do they all fit?

I think dream Hye-Seong Kim outcome is Andrés Giménez -- footwork puts him on Sports Center Top 10 but transfer/arm make spasmodic pinches at short at best; bat is still "show me" stage where Giménez had enough hit to do it on strong side platoon letting defense carry full time duties

Angels grab Chuckie Robinson from White Sox for cash, much needed catching depth added though lack of bat leaves him depth/emergency only reserve, Davis Daniel DFA'd

Tomoyuki Sugano nearly came stateside in 2020, glad to see him get chance half decade later -- mostly a command craftsman who will eat innings at backend of competitive rotation but enough tricks in the bag to make him a really good investment at 13 bills

Yilver de Paula getting a plug on Baseball America's recent international update from @benbadler.bsky.social -- chance at plus tools at premium home away from plate; switch-hitter has enough bat to run prospect clout out of the gate as Angels second biggest ticket in class (near seven-digit bonus)