It appears that those of us Angels fans who were hoping that Zack Greinke would re-sign with the Halos will be disappointed. The word from ESPN on December 6th, 2012 is that he's leaning towards the Texas Rangers, which will make them stronger. Update: Greinke eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for six years at a guaranteed $147 million.
But it appears the Angels already accounted for that possibility. On December 5th, they announced the signing of free agent Joe Blanton to a two-year contract worth $15 million, with a club option for a third year. The right-hander split time between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, compiling a 10-13, 4.71 record.
The one advantage Blanton brings to the table is that he can eat up innings -- when he's healthy. Blanton missed much of 2011 with a right elbow injury. In 2012, he worked 191 innings. He also knows where he's throwing; he walked only 34 batters and struck out 167 for an excellent 4.88 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. Unfortunately, he either doesn't put enough mustard on the ball, or else he can't move it around the strike zone deceptively enough, because he also yielded 207 hits and served up 29 homers. Ervin Santana had the same problem in 2012, and the Angels dumped him to Kansas City for a song. Halos Daily points out that the heavier air at Anaheim Stadium could suppress Blanton's gopher balls, and that some of those deep flies could be reeled in by flyhawks such as Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout. Blanton's career ERA is 4.37, and in only two seasons did he post an ERA of less than 4.00. This is offset somewhat by a winning 83-75 lifetime record.
So now an Angels starting rotation of Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson, and Joe Blanton takes shape, with Jerome Williams and Garrett Richards competing for the number five spot. This is a rotation which can win if backed up by a good bullpen. And the Angels took another step towards strengthening that bullpen by signing left-handed middle reliever Sean Burnett away from the Washington Nationals pending completion of a physical. Despite posting a 1-2, 2.38 record with 31 holds in 2012, Burnett pitched the entire second half with a bone spur in his left elbow, which required relatively minor surgery following the postseason, so the physical is a precaution to determine his recovery progress. The Los Angeles Times reports that Burnett signed for two years at $8 million.
Thus Burnett joins a bullpen already headed up by Ernesto Frieri, Kevin Jepsen, and newcomer Ryan Madson. Despite Frieri's success as a closer in 2012, the Angels have already penciled in Madson as their closer for 2013, thinking that Frieri can be more helpful as a middle reliever where they were plagued with inconsistency in 2012. Madson had 32 saves for the Phillies in 2011; he was injured all of 2012. Scott Downs is also slated to return in 2013.
Maybe it's a good thing that the Angels decided to get two lesser but still useful pitchers for the same price they would have paid for Zack Greinke.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Birth Mother Of San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick Wants To "Reconnect" With Him Now That His Salary Is $1,164,610
The career of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has shifted into the fast lane ever since Coach Jim Harbaugh decided to anoint him as the starter over Alex Smith after Smith got knocked out with a concussion in the 49ers' 24-24 tie with St. Louis on November 11th, 2012. Although Smith is now ready to play, Harbaugh has decided to stick with Kaepernick for the time being, even though the boo-birds are already hollering for Kaepernick's scalp after he made a couple of questionable plays in a 16-13 loss in the return match with the Rams on December 2nd.
Now, all of a sudden, we're finding out that Kaepernick's birth mother wants to "reconnect" with him. Heidi Russo gave up Kaepernick for adoption when he was just an infant because she felt she could not raise him adequately. She was 18 years old, had gotten pregnant out of wedlock, and for undisclosed reasons, did not marry the father. Nevertheless, Russo remained in contact with Colin and his adoptive parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, until Colin turned seven, then the pictures and letters stopped arriving. Since that time, Colin has exchanged a few messages with her, but most of Heidi's tweets have gone unreturned. Heidi professes to have maintained an interest in Colin's growth, having seen Kaepernick play football in person for the first time in 2010 when his University of Nevada-Reno team played at Colorado State. Heidi also professes to have the highest respect for Colin's adoptive parents, who she met again on August 26th, 2012 when she attended the 49ers' preseason game at Denver. Colin did not want to meet with her on that occasion.
Heidi acknowledges the possibility that Colin may not ever want to meet with her. There could be a number of reasons for his reluctance. Denver Broncos tight end Virgil Green, a teammate and roommate of Kaepernick's at Nevada, speculates that Kaepernick might consider it an act of disloyalty towards his adoptive parents to meet with his birth mother. "I've been out to dinner with them and you can see the job they did raising him. I think he would view it as almost treasonous to them to meet with his biological mother or father. They did such a great job giving him everything he needed to be successful in life", explained Green.
But there could be another reason. Colin Kaepernick is now a starting NFL quarterback with a team considered to be a Super Bowl contender. This means a Super Bowl winner's share, in addition to his current salary of $1,164,610. So perhaps Kaepernick is concerned about the possibility that his birth mother wants to renew the relationship in order to exploit him financially. It's happened to other people; highly-paid professional athletes are attractive targets for financial exploitation.
Of course, it is possible that Heidi Russo simply cares about her birth son deeply and genuinely wants to be a part of his life. She's currently a registered nurse, a profession in which there will always be a demand for her services, so it is unlikely that she has any financial problems. But this controversy serves as a reason why it is always best for someone who gives up a child for adoption at birth to permanently remain out of the child's new life, except to make ancestry information available to the child later for medical reasons. If Heidi Russo truly loves her son, she will quit "stalking" him and allow him to be the sole determinant as to whether or not they form a relationship.
Now, all of a sudden, we're finding out that Kaepernick's birth mother wants to "reconnect" with him. Heidi Russo gave up Kaepernick for adoption when he was just an infant because she felt she could not raise him adequately. She was 18 years old, had gotten pregnant out of wedlock, and for undisclosed reasons, did not marry the father. Nevertheless, Russo remained in contact with Colin and his adoptive parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, until Colin turned seven, then the pictures and letters stopped arriving. Since that time, Colin has exchanged a few messages with her, but most of Heidi's tweets have gone unreturned. Heidi professes to have maintained an interest in Colin's growth, having seen Kaepernick play football in person for the first time in 2010 when his University of Nevada-Reno team played at Colorado State. Heidi also professes to have the highest respect for Colin's adoptive parents, who she met again on August 26th, 2012 when she attended the 49ers' preseason game at Denver. Colin did not want to meet with her on that occasion.
Heidi acknowledges the possibility that Colin may not ever want to meet with her. There could be a number of reasons for his reluctance. Denver Broncos tight end Virgil Green, a teammate and roommate of Kaepernick's at Nevada, speculates that Kaepernick might consider it an act of disloyalty towards his adoptive parents to meet with his birth mother. "I've been out to dinner with them and you can see the job they did raising him. I think he would view it as almost treasonous to them to meet with his biological mother or father. They did such a great job giving him everything he needed to be successful in life", explained Green.
But there could be another reason. Colin Kaepernick is now a starting NFL quarterback with a team considered to be a Super Bowl contender. This means a Super Bowl winner's share, in addition to his current salary of $1,164,610. So perhaps Kaepernick is concerned about the possibility that his birth mother wants to renew the relationship in order to exploit him financially. It's happened to other people; highly-paid professional athletes are attractive targets for financial exploitation.
Of course, it is possible that Heidi Russo simply cares about her birth son deeply and genuinely wants to be a part of his life. She's currently a registered nurse, a profession in which there will always be a demand for her services, so it is unlikely that she has any financial problems. But this controversy serves as a reason why it is always best for someone who gives up a child for adoption at birth to permanently remain out of the child's new life, except to make ancestry information available to the child later for medical reasons. If Heidi Russo truly loves her son, she will quit "stalking" him and allow him to be the sole determinant as to whether or not they form a relationship.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Dan Haren Reportedly Signs With Washington Nationals Pending Physical; May Come Back To Haunt The Angels
ESPN is reporting that Los Angeles Angels pitcher Dan Haren, whose contract was bought out by the Angels for $3.5 million in November, has signed with the Washington Nationals, although the signing is contingent upon a successful physical. Haren's performance was impeded by back problems during the 2012 season. Halos Daily reports the contract is for one year at $13.0 million.
If healthy, Dan Haren would provide veteran leadership to a Nationals rotation already including Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler, which helped lead the Nats to the National League Eastern Division title in 2012. One of Haren's past strengths has been his durability; he's made at least 30 starts in eight straight years. Last year was his first time on the disabled list.
However, this move could come back to bite the Angels in the ass. The Angels already dumped Ervin Santana, who blew up to a 9-13, 5.16 record in 2012 when he coughed up an AL-leading 39 home runs, and it is uncertain if they can re-sign Zack Greinke, who's being arduously romanced by the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers as of this post. The Angels did try to fill the prospective gap by trading reliever Jordan Walden to Atlanta for starter Tommy Hanson, but guess what? Like Dan Haren, Hanson also had back problems in 2012. Hanson was 10-5, 3.71 before the All-Star break, but 3-5, 5.69 in the second half after he went on the disabled list from July 31st to August 17th with a lower back strain.
I guess the Angels think a 26-year-old with a back history is a less risky investment than a 31-year-old with a back history.
The Angels still have 20-win ace Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, but Wilson was a bit inconsistent during the second half of the season. After getting off to a 9-4, 2.36 start through June 26th, Wilson went 4-6, 5.24 the rest of the way. Then there's Greinke -- IF he can be re-signed. Then there's Hanson, who must prove he's overcome his back problems. Then we have to hope that Jerome Williams and Garrett Richards can pan out; both were inconsistent at times in 2012. While Williams at least has pinpoint control, the same cannot be said for Richards, who walked one batter every two innings.
If Greinke doesn't re-sign and Williams and Richards don't rise to the occasion, the Angels will wish they had Haren back, particularly if Haren returns to form. Haren is a workhorse who can eat up innings. Perhaps the Angels got a bit gun-shy after being burned so bad by Scott Kazmir and disappointed by Joel Piniero, but it's possible they may have pulled the trigger on Dan Haren a bit too quickly. If Haren's back to normal, the Washington Nationals become the overwhelming favorite to win the N.L. East in 2013 -- and can be spoken of as a potential World Series champion.
If healthy, Dan Haren would provide veteran leadership to a Nationals rotation already including Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler, which helped lead the Nats to the National League Eastern Division title in 2012. One of Haren's past strengths has been his durability; he's made at least 30 starts in eight straight years. Last year was his first time on the disabled list.
However, this move could come back to bite the Angels in the ass. The Angels already dumped Ervin Santana, who blew up to a 9-13, 5.16 record in 2012 when he coughed up an AL-leading 39 home runs, and it is uncertain if they can re-sign Zack Greinke, who's being arduously romanced by the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers as of this post. The Angels did try to fill the prospective gap by trading reliever Jordan Walden to Atlanta for starter Tommy Hanson, but guess what? Like Dan Haren, Hanson also had back problems in 2012. Hanson was 10-5, 3.71 before the All-Star break, but 3-5, 5.69 in the second half after he went on the disabled list from July 31st to August 17th with a lower back strain.
I guess the Angels think a 26-year-old with a back history is a less risky investment than a 31-year-old with a back history.
The Angels still have 20-win ace Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, but Wilson was a bit inconsistent during the second half of the season. After getting off to a 9-4, 2.36 start through June 26th, Wilson went 4-6, 5.24 the rest of the way. Then there's Greinke -- IF he can be re-signed. Then there's Hanson, who must prove he's overcome his back problems. Then we have to hope that Jerome Williams and Garrett Richards can pan out; both were inconsistent at times in 2012. While Williams at least has pinpoint control, the same cannot be said for Richards, who walked one batter every two innings.
If Greinke doesn't re-sign and Williams and Richards don't rise to the occasion, the Angels will wish they had Haren back, particularly if Haren returns to form. Haren is a workhorse who can eat up innings. Perhaps the Angels got a bit gun-shy after being burned so bad by Scott Kazmir and disappointed by Joel Piniero, but it's possible they may have pulled the trigger on Dan Haren a bit too quickly. If Haren's back to normal, the Washington Nationals become the overwhelming favorite to win the N.L. East in 2013 -- and can be spoken of as a potential World Series champion.
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