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Boom, Outta Here (Episode 1): Backups rule NFL; Kobe eyes Europe; Manny not impressed

By Staff Report | November 13, 2008

MVN's first original sports talk television show "Boom, Outta Here" debuts with chatter about the Jets' anonymous jab at their Thursday night opponents, backup quarterbacks taking over the NFL and NBA stars eyeing offers from Europe. Hosts Pat McSweeney and Brandon Rosage also take a stand against giving Manny what he wants (opting, instead, for Mark Teixeira) and encourage to NHL to embrace Dallas Stars center Mike Ribeiro's taunting and showboating from Wednesday night's shootout with the Los Angeles Kings....

1 Comment | Tags: Dallas Stars, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Manny Ramirez, MLB, NBA, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, NHL, Tennessee Titans, video

Bye, K-Rod

By Brian Perdue | November 13, 2008

Well, it's official. Arte Moreno said Wednesday night that he's "turning the page" on Alex Rodriguez. The Angels' owner doesn't plan to try to re-sign his All-Star closer. I agree with Moreno on this one. Although impressive, K-Rod's record season...

Discuss | Tags: Angels, Arte Moreno, Francisco Rodriguez, free agency

MVN Awards: AL Bobby Thigpen Award - Francisco Rodriguez

By Brian Joseph | November 11, 2008

Some players have a way of stepping up their game during a contract year. Then there's Francisco Rodriguez's 2008 season. Not only did the Angels' closer post one of his personal best years, K-Rod shattered an 18-year-old saves record helping the Angels to a 100-win season and a postseason bid. Rodriguez made 76 appearances in what might be his swan song in the city of Angels and converted 62 of 69 save opportunities. His ERA of 2.24 was despite a career-high WHIP of 1.29. Although K-Rod's numbers were not the best among American League closers -- take Joakim Soria's 1.60 ERA and 0.86 WHIP for example -- but it's the fact that Rodriguez blew away the saves record by five over the previous record set by Bobby Thigpen in 1990 that made him the AL's top closer. A deep dive into Rodriguez's numbers showed how amazing he was on the...

2 Comments | Tags: Awards, Closer, Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels, MLB

MLB '09 off-season starter: Can LA afford to lose Manny? The Obama Effect on free contracts; Big name pitchers cut loose

By Brandon Rosage | November 7, 2008

Manny Ramirez - Naked Eyes

To celebrate the start of what looks to be a competitive and active winter of dealing among big league clubs, The Pitch's Joe Aiello and Brandon Rosage weigh in on the biggest stories effecting the market this week in Major League Baseball, including... Dodgers GM Ned Colleti makes A-Rod-like offer to Manny Ramirez The Barack Obama tax plan's effect on player negotiations this winter Matt Holliday's desire to skip a pay day in favor of postseason plans A.J. Burnett walks away from $24 million and two years with Toronto to hit the free agent market Cubs leading the Jake Peavy sweepstakes Nationals unveil some sharp and fugly new jerseys The guys also rewind to their 2008 predictions from March 2008 and relive the embarrassment and glory of sounding like naive idiots. Listen in and participate via e-mail (thepitch@mvn.com) or in the comments....

2 Comments | Tags: audio, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Torii Hunter wins a Gold Glove, hangs out with Ludacris but would like a World Series ring

By Joe Florkowski | November 7, 2008

It was announced today that Angels' center fielder Torii Hunter won his eighth straight Gold Glove. That's all well and fine but he came to Los Angeles via Anaheim to win something that weighs considerably less than a glove and fits around your finger and is also shiny - a World Series ring. Sigh. Oh well. Here is a clip from Torii Hunter's own marketing video: Hanging with Mr. Hunter Part 4 where he hangs out with Ludacris and Gary Matthews, Jr. Is it sad that I would prefer to see Ludacris playing the reserve outfielder role next year more than Gary Matthews, Jr.? ...

Discuss | Tags: Angels, Gold Glove, Torii Hunter

If the Angels can't get Teixeira, maybe they should go after Manny

By Joe Florkowski | October 24, 2008

Maybe the Angels should make it Manny-heim. Understand, I am not a fan of Manny Ramirez. I think that the attention he gets, his antics, and the way he left Boston is despicable. But he can hit. And - maybe more importantly than that - he can get people to the games. The Angels are expected to go after their free agent rental Mark Teixeira and offer him a multi-year deal that Teixeira and his agent, Scott Boras, want. (Incidentally, want a scary costume for this Halloween? Try a Scott Boras mask. Sure to scare any general managers in your neighborhood.) But what if the Angels can't sign Teixeira? What if the Yankees or even Orioles swoop in and give Teixeira a 10-year, $20-million a year contract? And if it is the Yankees, could they come in with a $22 million-a-year contract? That would be mighty tempting money to Teixeira and I think he...

2 Comments | Tags: Angels, Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, Red Sox

Being the GM: 2009 Los Angeles Angels

By Evan | October 21, 2008

Frank Thomas heads to the Angels - Tony the Misfit

The Los Angeles Angels are rather bitter over their most recent playoff exit. Hard to blame them; they seemed to have a perfect storm of players to take them to the promised land. With the exits of Francisco Rodriguez and several other players we'll discuss here, the Angels certainly won't be as powerful as they were in 2008.

2 Comments | Tags: Frank Thomas, Huston Street, Los Angeles Angels, Mark Teixeira, MLB

NLCS and ALCS Previews; Where the Cubs and Angels went wrong; Squeeze play with season on the line?

By Brandon Rosage | October 9, 2008

Dodgers first baseman James Loney turned Los ANgeles' postseason around in Game One, and didn't stop hitting until they had swept the Cubs. (DoYouMindTheGap/Flickr). As you might expect, The Pitch's resident Chicago Cubs honk Joe Aiello was in the dumps on Thursday's show. His Cubbies left their bats in the regular season and didn't feel like throwing strikes in the October cold. But his Cubs may have paved the way for October's most dangerous team: The Los Angeles Dodgers. The NL West champions have youth, health and starting pitching going into Game One of the NLCS. But what did the Phillies show in their division series win over the Brewers? The guys breakdown the NL side of the coin and preview the championship series matchup. After a bitter finish to the ALCS, which saw the 100-win Angels drop flyballs and produce outs, the Red Sox earned a shot at one...

Discuss | Tags: ALCS, Angels, audio, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, MLB, NLCS, Phillies, Rays, Red Sox, White Sox

2 Comments | Tags: Frank Thomas, Huston Street, Los Angeles Angels, Mark Teixeira, MLB

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