April 2, 2015 Page 1 of 23

Clips

(April 2, 2015)

April 2, 2015 Page 2 of 23

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)  Howie Kendrick back at Angel Stadium as a Dodger for Freeway Series  Tough baseball path about to pay off for Angels pitcher Drew Rucinski  : 4, Angels 1

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 6)  Final: A's 4, Angels 1  Closing out Cactus League with answers to Angels' spring training questions  Trout scores already as Angels switch to sports drink he endorses  Angels advise fans to allow time for new security measures  Angels Notes: A break for Garrett Richards; Wilson gets in work

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)  Q&A: Scioscia set for another run in 16th year with Halos  Angels targeting Weaver as Opening Day starter  Rucinski stung by homers in last Cactus League start

FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS (Page 14)  Angels outfielder Dan Robertson is the ultimate underdog

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 16)  Chavez allows 3 hits in 6 innings as A's beat Angels 4-1

FROM BASEBALL PROSPECTUS (Page 18)  Every Team's - Los Angeles Angels: Ask First, Pitch Later

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (Page 23)  Mike Trout Spurs Sports Drink Deal Between Angels, BodyArmor

April 2, 2015 Page 3 of 23

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Howie Kendrick back at Angel Stadium as a Dodger for Freeway Series

By Dylan Hernandez

In the ballpark he called home for nine seasons, Howie Kendrick will be a visitor Thursday. He and the Dodgers will be at Angel Stadium for the start of the Freeway Series.

"I know the place inside and out," Kendrick said. "It will be fun to get to see some familiar faces. There's a lot of memories there for me."

When Kendrick played second base for the Angels, he observed how the fans in Anaheim treated former players who returned wearing the uniforms of other teams. For the most part, they were well-received.

"I'd like to think I was well-liked there," Kendrick said. "Hopefully, there will be a lot of cheers. I was there a long time, went to the postseason a few times. I felt like I had a great time there. I grew up there. Hopefully, the fans will embrace me like they did a lot of the other guys that came back."

His former manager will be looking on with curiosity.

"I have not seen him in a Dodgers uniform," said Mike Scioscia, wondering if Kendrick is still wearing No. 47. (He is.)

The Dodgers and Angels played each other twice in last month, but Kendrick didn't appear in either game.

"It's going to be a little strange," Scioscia said. "You're so used to seeing him out there at second base and now he'll have a different uniform on."

The three-game Freeway Series — the first two games are in Anaheim, Saturday's at Dodger Stadium — are exhibitions.

Kendrick wondered what it would have been like if the Angels had traded him to a division rival. He shook his head when thinking what Matt Kemp will have to endure this year, when he makes multiple visits to Dodger Stadium with the San Diego Padres.

"It's definitely a little different when you have that level of competition and it's tough when you're traded within the division," Kendrick said.

Kendrick smiled and shook his head.

"I'm just grateful they traded me to another team that was a championship-caliber team," he said. "It was right up the street, too. I'm in a different league, but I still get to see those guys."

As for the games in Anaheim, Kendrick views them for what they are in practical terms.

"It will be fun to get things rolling, get under some good lights and try to get your eyes acclimated to the night games," he said.

April 2, 2015 Page 4 of 23

Theoretically, at least, roster spots could be at stake, as both teams look to set their bullpens and benches for their season openers on Monday.

The Dodgers still have three nonroster pitchers who could be part of the bullpen: Sergio Santos, David Huff and David Aardsma. They are in competition with a group of young relievers that includes Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez, Pedro Baez and Adam Liberatore.

Several of the relievers could pitch Thursday since the game won't be started by any of the Dodgers' four healthy starting pitchers. Whoever starts will face the Angels' Matt Shoemaker. The Dodgers will go with Brandon McCarthy against Andrew Heaney on Friday, with Brett Anderson facing Hector Santiago in the series finale on Saturday.

The Dodgers bench could also be affected by what happens between now and the end of the series.

Andre Ethier, who was struck by a pitch on the elbow on Tuesday, could play as early as Thursday. Utility men Enrique Hernandez and Alex Guerrero look like the odds-on favorites to claim the final two reserve roles, but they are being pushed by infielder Darwin Barney and outfielder Chris Heisey.

The Angels' final roster spot looks like it will go to either Efren Navarro or Marc Krauss, both left-handed hitters who play some first base and in the outfield.

Tough baseball path about to pay off for Angels pitcher Drew Rucinski

By Mike DiGiovanna

It's a familiar story line in Angels camp. Pitcher goes undrafted out of college, signs as a free agent, works at various off-season jobs to augment meager minor league income, comes out of nowhere to win big league roster spot.

Only this time, it's not Matt Shoemaker. It's Drew Rucinski, a 26-year-old right-hander from Broken Arrow, Okla., who is expected to snag a long-relief role after capping a solid spring with a 5 1/3-inning, three-run, seven-hit start Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.

"Any story like that, where guys make it from way out in left field, it's awesome," Rucinski said of Shoemaker, a former substitute teacher who signed with the Angels as a nondrafted free agent in 2008 and finished second in American League rookie-of-the-year voting last season.

"It gives you confidence you can do it, too. It shows you can get outs no matter who you are. Baseball is such a crazy game. You never know where you're going to end up."

Rucinski, who played for Ohio State, signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians in 2011 and threw 39 innings for four low-level minor league clubs but was released the next spring.

He hooked on with the Rockford (Ill.) RiverHawks of the independent Frontier League and was 7-4 with a 3.13 earned-run average in 22 games in 2012 and 4-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 15 games in 2013. His salary at the lowest rung of pro baseball: $600 a month.

"Our clubhouse was basically a contemporary trailer from a construction site, and the field wasn't that great," Rucinski said. "But it's still professional baseball. You're still living the dream." April 2, 2015 Page 5 of 23

Dreams don't pay the bills, though. The off-season before the 2013 season, Rucinski worked at an Oklahoma pecan farm, raking debris out of the nuts shaken out of trees by a machine. After that season, he worked at an Ohio sporting goods store.

"I was trying to pay the rent," Rucinski said.

Rucinski pitched well enough at Rockford in 2013 to catch the eye of the Angels, who signed him that August to fill our their rotation in Class-A Inland Empire, where Rucinski was 2-2 with a 1.86 ERA in five starts.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Rucinski added strength and a tick or two of velocity to his fastball the next off- season. He blossomed at double-A Arkansas in 2014, finishing 10-6 with a 3.15 ERA, striking out 140 and walking 41 in 148 2/3 innings and earning two brief major league callups with the Angels.

Rucinski carried that momentum into this spring, posting a 2-1 record and 2.60 ERA, striking out 16 and walking four in 17 1/3 innings. He impressed the Angels not only with his stuff, which includes a 93-mph fastball, split-fingered fastball, slider and changeup, but with the way he attacked hitters.

"His stuff is real, and he shows no fear on the mound," General Manager Jerry Dipoto said. "Drew entered camp as a player who was likely to begin the season at triple A. His performance has opened eyes and made him a very relevant part of the 25-man roster discussion."

Rucinski said his approach hasn't changed.

"Just throw strike one and get ahead in the count," he said.

If he opens the season in the bullpen, Rucinski would be a candidate to make a spot start April 14. If he is on the opening-day roster, he'll look back on the adversity he overcame as one of the reasons he made it.

"The guys I played independent ball with said if you can make it through the mental toughness of playing there, not having the things you wish you had, you should be mentally tough enough to play anywhere," Rucinski said. "It was a grind."

Spring training: Oakland Athletics 4, Angels 1

By Mike DiGiovanna

AT THE PLATE: C.J. Cron, who will split time at designated hitter with Matt Joyce and back up first baseman Albert Pujols, lined a run-scoring double to right field in the first inning and another double to left-center in the fourth to close Cactus League play with a .415 average (27 for 65), three homers, 10 doubles and 14 runs batted in. Collin Cowgill, who will share time in left field with Joyce, singled and scored a run and finished Cactus League play with a .321 average (18 for 56).

ON THE MOUND: Angels starter Drew Rucinski gave up a pair of solo homers, to Mark Canha in the fourth inning and J.P. Sportman in the sixth. Reliever Fernando Salas gave up a double and struck out one in a scoreless seventh, and Vinnie Pestano gave up a run on a walk, a double and an RBI groundout April 2, 2015 Page 6 of 23 in the eighth. Left-hander C.J. Wilson made his final spring start in a triple-A game against the A's and went 6 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs, five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts.

EXTRA BASES: Manager Mike Scioscia said Garrett Richards, who is recovering from left-knee surgery, will start a minor league game in Arizona on Thursday, take a week off, and pitch in an extended spring- training game in Arizona on April 9. Barring a setback, Richards would begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment on April 14, which would align him for a return to the Angels rotation by late April.

ANGELS UP NEXT: Dodgers at Angel Stadium at 7 p.m. On the air: TV—Prime Ticket. Radio—830.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Final: A's 4, Angels 1

BY JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

The game: The Angels closed out the Arizona portion of spring training with a 4-1 loss to the Oakland A’s at Hohokam Park in Mesa.

Pitching report: Drew Rucinski, who has the inside track to a job in the Angels bullpen and possibly a few spot starts, gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Rucinski gave up solo homers to Mark Canha and J.P. Sportman. A non-drafted player who signed with the Angels out of independent baseball in August 2013, Rucinski allowed five earned runs in 17 1/3 innings this spring, a 2.60 ERA. He struck out 16 and walked four. ... Fernando Salas pitched a scoreless inning.

Hitting report: C.J. Cron had two doubles. Cron, who is hitting .416, has 14 RBI, tied for the team lead. He has 15 extra-base hits among his 27 hits. ... Josh Rutledge finished in a 3-for-24 slump in Arizona, dropping his average to .192.

Defense report: SS Rutledge mishandled a routine ground ball. ... 3B Taylor Featherston made a nice backhand stop of a sharp grounder. ... C Carlos Perez threw out a runner trying to steal second. … 2B Alex Yarbrough made a nice play charging on a slow hopper.

Up next: Matt Shoemaker will make his final start of the spring, facing the Dodgers in a 7:05 p.m. game at Angel Stadium.

Closing out Cactus League with answers to Angels' spring training questions

BY JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

MESA, Ariz. – Every team comes into spring training with one major goal – avoid any key injuries – and a host of lesser ones, like answering a handful of questions about the roster. April 2, 2015 Page 7 of 23

As the Angels played their final Cactus League game Wednesday afternoon against the Oakland A's, they could at least put a check mark by the big one. Aside from long reliever Cory Rasmus requiring surgery that will have him out until May, the Angels are healthy.

Among the other issues they faced, the Angels in most cases got closer to knowing the answers, and in one case now face an entirely different question.

To review the questions we posed before pitchers and catchers reported six weeks ago:

Who is the second baseman?

Manager Mike Scioscia still hasn’t announced the winner in the four-man derby to replace Howie Kendrick, but it would be a shocker if it’s anyone other than Johnny Giavotella.

Giavotella, a 27-year-old journeyman, was considered by most to be No. 3 on the depth chart, behind Josh Rutledge and Grant Green, but he outplayed them both in Arizona. Giavotella hit .327 in Arizona, and he was getting done defensively.

It looks like Taylor Featherston, the fourth competitor in the race, is going to end up as the backup infielder.

Giavotella (out of options) and Featherston (a Rule 5 pick) would both likely be lost if they didn’t make the roster, so this is the alignment that allows the Angels to keep all four players in the organization.

How is Garrett Richards?

Although Richards won’t be ready by opening day, his rehab has gone just about as well as the Angels could have expected over the past six weeks.

“It’s been going the right direction the whole way,” Scioscia said. “We’re excited where he is. The stuff is there. He’s been great.”

Richards, who had knee surgery last August, has not allowed a run in 12 innings in three competitive outings so far, one intrasquad game and two minor league games. He is scheduled for another minor league game Thursday, in which the Angels hope to get him six innings. His next outing is scheduled for April 9, after a couple extra days off. After that, Richards would be lined up to pitch in the minors April 14, or possibly in the majors.

In any case, Richards is likely to be back in the Angels rotation long before the worst-case-scenario of mid-May.

How will C.J. Wilson look? The Angels needed Wilson to bounce back from his worst season as a starting pitcher. For whatever spring training is worth, he seems to be himself again.

“I think he’s throwing the ball as well as I’ve seen him throw, which brings you back to the start of last year or a couple years ago,” Scioscia said. “I think that a lot of the second half issues, from health to consistency to release point, have been resolved. I look for a big year from C.J.” April 2, 2015 Page 8 of 23

Wilson missed two starts this spring – one with a sore knee and one with an illness – but he made up the time so he’ll still be ready for next week. Wilson gave up three runs in 11 2/3 innings in major league exhibition games. On Wednesday he allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings in a minor league game against the Oakland A’s. He’s in line to start the second game of the season at Seattle on April 7.

What about Josh Hamilton?

This question took quite a different turn. When we posed it six weeks ago, the issues were his Feb. 4 right shoulder surgery and his overall offensive decline from his two years with the Angels.

But Hamilton self-reported a violation of ’s drug policy in February, and he and the Angels have been waiting for more than a month for discipline from the commissioner’s office.

The Angels have been operating, for the most part, as if Hamilton were gone indefinitely, because they had no idea how long he might be suspended.

Aside from the suspension, he apparently hadn’t made much progress in the rehab from shoulder surgery, so his status is up in the air. In the meantime, C.J. Cron has had an outstanding spring. He is the player who will the most playing time in Hamilton's place.

How will the back of the rotation look?

Honestly, we still don’t know, and the speed of Richards’ rehab has reduced the importance of the question anyway.

After Jered Weaver, Wilson and Matt Shoemaker, the Angels had a wide range of possibilities. Hector Santiago looked solid throughout the spring, content that his mechanical fixes over the winter have made him more consistent. Santiago is in line to open the season as the No. 4 starter.

Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano, young pitchers the Angels acquired over the winter, came into camp competing for a spot, and it’s likely that neither will be in the majors next week. Scioscia said the Angels are “likely” to start the season with only four starters, a luxury provided by an off day in the first week.

By the time the Angels need a fifth starter April 14, they could turn to Drew Rucinski for one or two starts. Heaney or Tropeano also could earn their way back into that spot a few weeks into the season.

Trout scores already as Angels switch to sports drink he endorses

BY MARCIA C. SMITH / STAFF COLUMNIST

When fans attend Thursday night’s Freeway Series exhibition game at Angel Stadium, they’re likely to see the Angels’ reigning AL MVP Mike Trout show off more than his five tools.

They’ll see him flex his marketing muscle.

April 2, 2015 Page 9 of 23

Beginning today, the Angels begin a new partnership with Bodyarmor as their official sports drink in a multi-year deal brokered in part by Trout himself.

This is the first team sideline/dugout deal for the upstart sports drink company that signed Trout to an endorsement deal when they were both rookies in 2012.

This is also the biggest marketing impact Trout has made as he evolves both as a superstar ballplayer and pitchman. He also has endorsement deals with Nike and Subway, among others.

“We’d like to think our company has grown with and thanks to Mike Trout,” said Bodyarmor co-founder and chairman Mike Repole.

Gone from the dugout will be all evidence of Gatorade. In its place will be Bodyarmor-branded coolers, towels, paper cups, squirt bottles and refrigerators containing various flavors of the non-traditional sports drink.

Bodyarmor, unlike the more ubiquitous industry leaders Gatorade and Powerade, bills itself as a revolutionary “super drink” because it contains coconut water and a natural fruit juice base enriched with vitamins and electrolytes.

Trout was the first major-leaguer Bodyarmor signed. Its sales have tripled each year since 2012, paralleling the Millville Meteor’s success from 2012 Rookie of the Year to 2014 AL MVP.

It’s because of Trout that Bodyarmor has been stocked in the Angels kitchen and clubhouse since 2013. And it’s because Trout wanted to have Bodyarmor during games and in the dugout home and on the road that this deal has happened.

Before this season, Trout had to dash upstairs to the clubhouse during games to drink Bodyarmor.

“Now, during the game,” Trout said, “I can have it. It helps me.”

Last season, Trout noticed how many of his teammates were drinking Bodyarmor and asked the training staff about having it available in the dugout.

But he learned about the sponsorship rules that prevented him from drinking anything that wasn’t in a Gatorade-branded container.

So he began looking around the clubhouse to see who was drinking Bodyarmor. He approached his teammates, among them Angels ace Jered Weaver, who was drinking a Bodyarmor’s strawberry banana flavor.

“Thanks for the support,” Trout told Weaver.

“Yeah, it’s a good drink,” Weaver said.

Trout, happy to see his teammates consuming Bodyarmor more frequently, asked several whether they would want it in the dugout.

“Seeing everybody drinking it, I just mentioned it (to Bodyarmor),” Trout said. “Being a partner with Bodyarmor, I thought it would be good to get the brand out there.” April 2, 2015 Page 10 of 23

Trout didn’t have a seat or a voice at the negotiating table. He merely got the ball rolling, finding enjoyment in helping grow a brand and bringing his teammates a drink he believes enhances modern- day player performance.

“I learn new things every day in the marketing game,” he said. “Just having Bodyarmor in our dugout is a big step forward.”

Angels advise fans to allow time for new security measures

By JEFF FLETCHER

Fans can expect a slower entrance in Angel Stadium this year because of new Major League security regulations.

The Angels will be testing the use of metal detectors at all Angel Stadium gates for this week's Freeway Series games against the Dodgers. The metal detectors will be fully operational when the Angels begin their regular season home schedule on April 10.

All major league teams have been required to add metal detectors at entrances this season.

Angels Notes: A break for Garrett Richards; Wilson gets in work

By JEFF FLETCHER

MESA, Ariz. -- Continuing their cautious approach with Garrett Richards, the Angels will give him two extra days off after his next outing and will try to have him pitch at least once in a minor league game before he's activated.

Richards is scheduled to throw six innings in a minor league game on Thursday. After that, his next scheduled appearance would be after six days off, on April 9 in a minor league game in Arizona.

"It's just for him to catch his breath," Manager Mike Scioscia said of the extra days. "It's not necessarily needed. He can get a lot of work in between. It's just a natural fit. It’s a good time for it."

Pitching April 9 would line up Richards for April 14, which just happens to be the first day the Angels need a fifth starter in the regular season. However, Scioscia said the Angels will "see if he can go out on a regular rehab assignment (in the minors) on April 14."

WILSON'S DAY

C.J. Wilson pitched 6 2/3 innings in a Triple-A game against the Oakland A's, giving up two runs, walking one and striking out 10.

Wilson is in line to start the second game of the season at Seattle on April 7.

April 2, 2015 Page 11 of 23

FROM ANGELS.COM

Q&A: Scioscia set for another run in 16th year with Halos

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

Since Mike Scioscia joined the Angels back in 2000, 20 teams have gone through at least five different managers. The Marlins, Nationals, Cubs, Reds, D-backs, Astros and Mariners have had at least eight.

Scioscia enters the 2015 season tied with Hall of Famer and Tigers legend Sparky Anderson for 12th all- time in wins with one team. He's the 11th manager to guide the same franchise for at least 16 consecutive seasons, the fifth to do it since 1975 and the first since Tony La Russa with the Cardinals in 2011.

Uncertainty surrounded Scioscia like never before at this time last year. The Angels were coming off their fourth consecutive playoff absence, and the pressure was on Scioscia to turn it around, regardless of the fact his contract had five years left on it. Then the Angels won a Major League-leading 98 games, capturing their sixth title under Scioscia before getting swept by the Royals in the AL Division Series.

Before the challenge starts again, baseball's longest-tenured manager sat down with MLB.com to address his latest team.

How do you view the AL West and your team's place in it this year?

I think our division is the toughest division in baseball. The depth of pitching in our division is incredible. But I don't think it serves much of a purpose to rate yourself with other teams in your division. Every game is tough. We know the teams in our division are tough, and we know what we have to do to reach our goals. This season is not easy, whether you're playing in your division or out of it. There's a tough game every night.

What concerns, if any, do you have about the offense, and do you feel like this lineup will lean a little less toward batter's box offense than it did the last couple of years?

I think we're tooled to be able to not totally depend on batter's box offense. But you have to have that foundation, you have to have that basic lineup that in the batter's box these guys are having good at- bats, they drive the ball, the situational hitting -- all the things that are important to scoring runs, combined with some of the baserunning things that I know these guys do well. The depth of our lineup is something we pay a lot of attention to.

How do you approach Josh Hamilton's situation and where he fits in; how do you even plan for whatever it is you're going to get out of him this year?

You have to be very realistic about where you are and what's happening. We're putting lineups together right now with the exclusion of Josh, and some of the lineups with the inclusion of Josh. I think you have to look at it both ways and just see, if he's going to be with you, what the approximate time frame is, April 2, 2015 Page 12 of 23 when he's going to join your club. We know we won't have him for Opening Day, so we've looked at both. You have to be prepared to go either way.

How would you compare where you sit with your starting rotation now compared to 12 months ago?

I think we're deeper now, certainly through the organization. If you look at where we are from one through nine or 10, we're deeper now than we've been probably in 10 years.

You won 98 games last year, so it's hard to nitpick, but is there one specific area you'd like to see your team improve this year?

Well, we're a different team than we were last year. I think last year, our bullpen came together, particularly when Joe Smith went into the closer's spot to replace Ernie Frieri. And also when we acquired Huston Street. Our bullpen was magnificent. I think that held leads that we've had for the last couple years that we weren't able to turn into wins. Last year, we were able to do that and got to 98 wins. I think some of those dynamics are still in place if you look at where we are in our bullpen. On the offensive side, we're maybe not quite as dynamic as we were last year, so it's a little different team, a little different setup. But I feel good about starting the season because I think our bullpen, right now, if you look at the names and look at what guys can do, is probably as good as it's been in the last seven, eight years.

It can be so difficult to have as good a regular season as you had and then have it end so quickly in the playoffs. In camp, what have you seen from the guys in terms of their focus level for this season and potentially playing deeper into October?

I think when you perform well in the Major Leagues and it gets you to a championship, whether it be a division championship or you win a World Series, you carry confidence with you. I think these guys carry confidence of a terrific regular season that is tempered a little bit with not playing as well as you could in the playoffs. But these guys are ready. They've turned the page. We're ready for this year; we know some things are different and we're going to get after it.

Angels targeting Weaver as Opening Day starter

By Barry M. Bloom

MESA, Ariz. -- The Angels are "targeting" veteran right-hander Jered Weaver as their Opening Day starter when they play the Mariners on Monday at Safeco Field, manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday.

The remainder of the first week four-man rotation is projected to be C.J. Wilson, Matt Shoemaker and Hector Santiago, Scioscia added.

A formal announcement will come Thursday night, when the Angels open the traditional three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium. Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney and Santiago are slated to start against the Dodgers. April 2, 2015 Page 13 of 23

"We'll have our rotation for Opening Day as soon as we see where the guys are when they come out of their starts," Scioscia said before the Angels closed the Cactus League portion of their spring schedule on Wednesday with a 4-1 loss to the A's at HoHoKam Stadium. "Weave felt good coming out of his workout yesterday, so we're targeting him, but we won't announce it until tomorrow."

Scioscia also said that right-hander Garrett Richards will open the season on the disabled list and remain behind in Arizona to pitch in camp Thursday after the team leaves for California.

Richards injured his left knee covering first base on Aug. 20 during a game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Richards subsequently had surgery in October to repair a ruptured patella tendon. His recovery has progressed well, but the Angels are acting with caution about his return.

"He'll start on the disabled list and probably have another camp-controlled game on the 9th," Scioscia said. "We'll see where he is and then we'll see if he can go out on a regular rehab assignment on the 14th."

Scioscia said that because of a pair of off-days in the schedule the first , the Angels won't need to utilize a fifth starter until April 14 at Texas and then again at home against the A's on April 21. There's an outside possibility that Richards could be ready by the end of the month.

Drew Rucinski, Wednesday's starter against the A's, could certainly hold Richards' place in the meantime.

All of these are moving parts at this point.

"We've learned the lesson over the years that sometimes you have to bump up the No. 5 guy a day or the No. 4 guy a day when things happen," Scioscia said. "Like C.J. is pitching today in a camp game. He's got to get to at least seven innings. Shoe came out of his bullpen good. I mean, they're lined up. I think you guys can see the way they're lined up and know exactly where we're going to be.

"We're targeting Weave, but there's a lot of things still to be considered. We're close enough now that I don't think there's any rush to it."

Rucinski stung by homers in last Cactus League start

By Austin Laymance

MESA, Ariz. -- The A's used six solid innings from Jesse Chavez and a pair of home runs to beat the Angels, 4-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Hohokam Stadium as both clubs wrapped up their Cactus League schedules.

C.J. Cron doubled twice and drove in a run for the Angels. Drew Rucinski, likely to make the club as a long reliever, started and went 5 1/3 innings. April 2, 2015 Page 14 of 23

Chavez has a spot on the A's pitching staff, but the club has not announced if it will be a starting or relief role. He pitched well in his final outing of Spring Training, scattering three hits and allowing one run in six innings with six strikeouts.

"You work up all spring to get everything figured out and that's what the last one's for, to put it all together to go in confident regardless of where I'm going to be," said Chavez, who ends camp with a 3.27 ERA.

The Angels scored in the first inning, as Cron doubled to score Collin Cowgill. Cron doubled again in the fourth before being removed for a pinch-runner.

A's outfielder Billy Burns tied the game with an RBI single in the third. He's competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster and is a candidate to replace Coco Crisp, should the veteran land on the disabled list due to a lingering elbow issue.

Mark Canha and J.P. Sportman each hit solo homers for the A's. Canha's shot to left in the fourth gave the A's a 2-1 lead. It was the sixth homer of the spring for Canha, who is a good bet to make his first Opening Day roster. He also bounced a double over the wall in right-center in his second at-bat.

Rucinski was charged with three runs on seven hits, including the two homers. He struck out four against one walk. The right-hander has a 2.60 ERA this spring and should earn one of the final spots in the Angels' bullpen.

Up next: The Angels camp after the game and will open the annual three-game Freeway Series against the Dodgers at Angel Stadium on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. PT. The game will air on MLB.TV. They'll play the Dodgers there again on Friday night and finish it off at Dodger Stadium on Saturday evening. It's Matt Shoemaker for the Angels on Thursday. Garrett Richards (left knee) will be left behind to pitch in a camp controlled game Thursday. He'll open the season the disabled list.

FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS

Angels outfielder Dan Robertson is the ultimate underdog

By JP Hoornstra

TEMPE, Ariz. >> Dan Robertson once attempted to sneak into the Angels clubhouse in 2002. He was a student at South Hills High School in West Covina at the time, and he didn’t quite make it all the way down the hallway. Mike Scioscia stopped him. Robertson settled for some autographs.

Now, 13 years later, the dream is reality. Robertson has a locker and a jersey in the Angels’ clubhouse with his name on it. He isn’t expected to make the Opening Day roster, but the fact that he’s made it this far — a spot on the 40-man roster and still getting major league at-bats at this stage of spring training — is no small feat. April 2, 2015 Page 15 of 23

“(Former Texas Rangers manager) Ron Washington used to tell me ‘as long as you have a jersey on, you have an opportunity’,” Robertson said. “Whether you’re the 25th guy or you’re the superstar making millions of dollars, it’s the same role. You’re on a team. You’ve got one job to do. Be the best teammate you can be, get better every single day and you’ll help a team win.

“Whether it’s a short-season A-ball team or a World Series contender, it doesn’t change.”

Robertson, a 29-year-old outfielder, is used to being the 25th guy.

He stood 5-foot-8 and weighed 155 pounds by his own estimate when he graduated from South Hills. He hasn’t grown an inch since, though he’s gained about 40 pounds.

Scouts wouldn’t have noticed Robertson at any travel-ball tournaments regardless of his height. He didn’t participate in travel ball; he was a guard on the team and a wide receiver on the football team during the off-season.

South Hills won CIF football titles three out of his four years at the school.

“I loved football,” Robertson said. “I loved it just as much as baseball.”

Though Robertson said he had an opportunity to walk on to the football team at Arizona State, he couldn’t afford it. Instead he went to Concordia University, an NAIA school in Irvine, and played baseball there for three years. Robertson transferred to Oregon State as a senior and was drafted in the 33rd round by the San Diego Padres in 2008.

When he finally reached the major leagues with the Texas Rangers last season, Robertson’s underdog story was complete. The short kid from a public high school who didn’t play travel ball and was drafted in the 33rd round had reached the major leagues.

“I think when I’m older and speaking to kids, maybe as a future coach myself, I can then look back at the road I took and see how unorthodox it is,” he said. “Some people may feel that it’s impossible to go the route I went, but I’m just a testament and an example of what you can do if you just push yourself every day and not worry about outside things that you can’t control.”

DODGERS ADD TWO VETERANS

Dodgers relievers Mike Adams and Dustin McGowan have been told they will not be on the Opening Day roster. Adams isn’t on the 40-man roster and will begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma. He allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings over four appearances this spring.

McGowan allowed six runs, all earned, in eight Cactus League innings. He is on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster and cannot be optioned to the minor leagues. A specific transaction involving McGowan hasn’t been announced yet.

Also Tuesday, the Dodgers signed veteran pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor-league contract and acquired minor-league utilityman Elliot Johnson from the Rangers for cash considerations.

Garcia, 38, hasn’t pitched in the majors since he appeared in 17 games (13 starts) for two teams in 2013. Garcia’s last appearance, coincidentally, came against the Dodgers for the Atlanta Braves in the 2013 April 2, 2015 Page 16 of 23

National League Division Series. He started 25 games last year in Taiwan pitching for the EDA Rhinos, the same team that once employed Manny Ramirez.

Johnson, 31, appeared in seven games for the Cleveland Indians last season and spent most of the season at Triple-A Columbus, hitting .236 with five home runs in 87 games. In 40 Cactus League plate appearances for the Texas Rangers this month, Johnson batted .194.

ALSO

Angels pitcher Jered Weaver pitched 6 1/3 innings in a Triple-A game against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed four hits and two runs (both earned), walked two and struck out five. … Weaver is scheduled to start Opening Day, though manager Mike Scioscia hasn’t officially made that declaration. … Weaver has started seven of the last eight opening days. … The Angels drew a total of 111,672 fans to this season. … The Angels optioned right-hander Nick Tropeano to Triple-A Salt Lake. … The Dodgers drew 147,066 to , a record.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chavez allows 3 hits in 6 innings as A's beat Angels 4-1

MESA, Ariz. -- Jesse Chavez allowed three hits in six innings, Mark Canha homered and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 Wednesday to finish their first spring training at HoHoKam Park with a 14-1 record.

Billy Burns drove in a run on his major league-leading 29th hit, the most by an A's player in spring training since Tony Phillips had 30 in 1999. J.P. Sportsman also homered.

C.J. Cron had two doubles and drove in a run for the Angels.

Drew Rucinski gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, walked one and struck out four.

Chavez, who has a 3.27 ERA, allowed an unearned run, struck out six and walked one.

STARTING TIME

Angels: Rucinski likely will start the season in the bullpen for the Angels, though he is on track to make a start on April 14, the first time a fifth starter is needed. That is the same day Garrett Richards is scheduled to begin a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.

Athletics: While Chavez has not been told what his role will be when the season starts, he also seems resigned to being the long man out of the bullpen.

"I'm sure they had their minds made up from the beginning," he said. "I'm satisfied personally and team wise. The guys around here can see it. We'll see what happens."

HOWIE'S HOMECOMING:

April 2, 2015 Page 17 of 23

INF Howie Kendrick, traded to the Dodgers during the offseason for left-hander Andrew Heaney, returns to Angels Stadium for the first time in an opposing uniform Thursday night.

Kendrick spent his first 13 years in the Angels' organization, the past nine with the big club.

"It will be a little strange," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I'm so used seeing him out there at second base. We've seen him enough to know he's a good hitter. He hits the ball as hard as any right- hander with the exception of one or two."

COMING TOGETHER

The biggest takeaway from camp, according to A's manager , has been the speed of how the group has come together in the clubhouse.

"It's been a good spring all the way around with the new guys coming together," Melvin said. "We've had reasonable success with guys who have not been together before."

The A's likely will start new players at six positions, including designated hitter. The lone holdovers are right-hander Sonny Gray, catcher Stephen Vogt and outfielders Craig Gentry and Sam Fuld.

"The defense has been terrific," Melvin said. "That's one area we thought we needed shoring up."

TRAINER'S TABLE

Angels: Richards (left knee surgery) is to make two more appearances at extended spring training before he is sent on a rehab assignment. Richards is scheduled to throw in a minor league game Thursday, and then in another controlled game on April 9. "It's good for him to catch his breath," Scioscia said. "It's not necessarily needed but he can work on things in between starts."

Athletics: OF Coco Crisp reported some soreness in his elbow, though Melvin said it is not a concern. "He's the one guy on the team we're not worried about getting at bats," Melvin said. "We'll make a determination on where we're going tomorrow." ... LHP Sean Doolittle is to extend to 75 feet on his throwing program Thursday. ... Josh Reddick batted three times Thursday in a minor league game, which RHP Sonny Gray started in preparation for his opening-day start.

UP NEXT:

Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker starts Thursday night in the opener of the Freeway Series against the Dodgers in Anaheim.

Athletics: LHP Scott Kazmir starts the against the Giants in San Francisco on Thursday.

April 2, 2015 Page 18 of 23

FROM BASEBALL PROSPECTUS

Every Team's Moneyball - Los Angeles Angels: Ask First, Pitch Later

By Sam Miller

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

PECOTA Team Projections

Record: 91-71

Runs Scored: 742

Runs Allowed: 646

AVG/OBP/SLG (TAv): .258/.324/.409 (.278)

Total WARP: 36.8 (10.1 pitching, 26.7 non-pitching, including 0.0 from pitchers)

The premise of this series is that every team at least has a plan. Some of the plans might be hard to quantify, or hard to prove “work,” but every fan deserves to know that his or her favorite team’s front office is intentional about its decisions and is smarter than the aimless pack of idiots we might, in our darker moments, imagine them to be. When it comes to the least predictable part of team building, the Angels have a plan, and of this I can be certain—even if, ultimately, I’m at a loss to figure out how well it works.

Imagine that, back in autumn 2011, Jerry Dipoto had been forced to publicly campaign for the job of Angels General Manager. Based on what he has said and what he has done, my guess is his plank would have sounded something like this:

Get some talent in the upper levels of the minor leagues quickly, after a few years of barren high-upside drafts and international inactivity had left the Angels extremely low on subterranean depth; do this by drafting almost exclusively college players in the first 10 or 15 rounds.

Change the Angels’ offensive approach from slap-hacky to, if not exactly TTO, at least more balanced, with lineups capable of working counts and exploiting bad-control pitchers on bad-control days. Do this by acquiring players who, in his own words, “control the strike zone”; divesting themselves of Jeff Mathis; and updating player development strategies to reinforce the value of long at-bats and plate discipline.

Fix the bullpen, which had become swollen with bad relievers on multi-year deals.

There would have been other things, some too small to make it into a campaign ad, some too abstract for a politician to boil down into a soundbite, but those three would have covered everybody, from Lou in Gardena who melts down on the air every time a high-priced reliever melts down in the eighth inning, to the stathead bloggy types eager to hear that plate-discipline dog whistle. In all three areas there has been activity, sometimes successful, sometimes thwarted by lack of options or the inevitable restrictions April 2, 2015 Page 19 of 23 imposed on a smart team competing against 29 other smart teams for limited resources. The bullpen, though, has seen both the lowest lows and the highest highs.

In 2012, Dipoto’s first year, the Angels’ bullpen ranked 13th out of 14 AL teams in FIP, 12th in ERA, 11th in FRA. In 2013, it ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams in FIP, 14th in ERA, and 10th in FRA. And, through June 30th of 2014, it ranked 11th in the AL in ERA—friendly home ballpark and all. Dipoto has spoken about his unwillingness to chase high-priced closers, opting instead for discounted reclamations (like Ryan Madson) or two-year commitments (as to Sean Burnett) or pre-arb trade targets (like Ernesto Frieri and Dane De La Rosa). Three of the four broke; that last, Frieri, simply fell apart.

On June 27th, though, Dipoto traded Frieri for Jason Grilli, and in the next couple months would add Huston Street, Vinnie Pestano, and Joe Thatcher in trades. They, and the incumbents, became one of the game’s best units, finishing the 2014 season with the seventh-best bullpen ERA in the AL, the third-best FIP, and the second-best FRA. The relievers were so good that, when the Angels’ ran out of healthy starters in late August, they turned to the bullpen to fill the fifth slot in the rotation. Cory Rasmus took the mound in the first inning against the A’s on August 30th and, in his first ever major-league start (and first start at any level since 2011), went three innings. Seven relievers combined to complete the game, and the Angels won 2-0. Rasmus would go on to “start” five more games in September.

Wrote Pedro Moura that month, “(Scioscia) has mostly deflected praise... When asked earlier this week about how so many opinions of him have changed over the last year, he had a quip at the ready. ‘Managers tend to get a lot smarter when you have a bullpen,’ he said.”

There are a lot of ways to build a good bullpen, many of them smokescreens for “got lucky when we signed him” and “boy sure got lucky when we signed him.” Further, every GM who has ever GM’d has had at least one good half from his relievers, but most don’t merit a season preview touting his GMing skills. But, while acknowledging that the Angels’ second half is a flimsy foundation on which to build a statue, we argue that Dipoto and the Angels merit the full write-up more than most. That’s because Dipoto has a bullpen philosophy that is different than most; he has clearly articulated that philosophy over the past three seasons; the unit he succeeded with arguably abided by that philosophy; and, hey, the dude was a former reliever, the only former reliever GMing today, and his reliever experience is part of what informs his philosophy. You get extra credit for convenient backstory.

Here’s the group that the Angels took into the postseason:

RHP Huston Street

RHP Joe Smith

RHP Kevin Jepsen

RHP Jason Grilli

RHP Fernando Salas

RHP Michael Morin

RHP Cory Rasmus April 2, 2015 Page 20 of 23

RHP Vinnie Pestano

The first thing you might notice: No lefty. He tried to get a funky lefty and the funky lefty just flat out flopped. The second thing you might notice: Five of the eight (and the deposed funky lefty, too) were acquired via trade. By my count, Dipoto has acquired 14 relievers in trades, which seems to be his preferred way to avoid the long-term contracts he has called “a little bit of a game of Russian Roulette.” He gets relievers as throw-ins, he gets relievers back for his salary dumps, he gets relievers for prospects, he gets relievers back when he trades away relievers. He gets a lot of relievers. There’s still a cost to acquiring some of these guys, to be sure, but only Smith (the free agent) carried a long-term commitment out of this group. (Further, if less importantly, acquiring guys in trade rather than free agency has helped him stock his bullpen with players who still have options. Vinnie Pestano was 29 but still had an option; same with Fernando Salas. Each was sent down when the Angels needed roster flexibility.)

The third thing you might notice: This isn’t a hard-throwing group. In 2013, Angels relievers threw an average fastball 93.3 mph, which was in the top third among all teams; and they threw that fastball 72 percent of the time. But in 2014, the group’s average fastball was 91.9 mph, bottom third in the league; and they threw that pitch only 60 percent of the time. This might not seem great—throwing harder usually makes pitchers better—but there’s essentially no correlation between bullpen velocities and bullpen ERAs, or velocities and a components-based stat like SIERA. “We used to be a bullpen built on power arms and sometimes some high wire acts,” Dipoto told Peter Gammons. “A lot of 96’s with limited command.” Getting away from that was part of the unwinding.

What he was getting toward is the hardest thing to spot in this group: The “different looks” theory. He first mentioned it in April 2012, the first month of his first season:

In the meantime, he is gently steering the Angels… toward a collection of arms with what he calls “different looks” — different arm angles, different out pitches, different velocities. …

Later in the same article, he said: "You want to try to create as much diversity as you can.”

You can imagine how this would be useful if implemented right. You could more nimbly match pitchers up against hitters and situations they're suited toward—the high-velo guy against the slow bat, the funkiest delivery against a guy who, I don't know, struggles against funky deliveries, the sidearmer in groundball situations, the permanent slide-stepper with a runner on base, and so on. This would be complicated, but with enough intelligence and information it could work. It'd be like a modified version of using a lefty against a left-handed batter, putting the pitcher in a position to succeed, and ultimately helping his stuff (and that of the rest of the staff) play up. Implemented effectively, it would help break the tyranny of the assigned innings—the seventh-inning guy, the eighth-inning guy, maybe in a radical envisioning even the closer guy—and save the team the expense of purchasing a pre-cooked eighth- inning guy who wants three years and $18 million to face three batters at the same time every night. That's ultimately the goal: To quit having to shop on the free-agent market for an eighth-inning guy. Much better to have three inexpensive options who, deployed correctly, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly, can mimic the effect in the eighth (or any other) inning. "The important thing is not to recreate the individual," as says in Moneyball. "The important thing is to recreate the aggregate." April 2, 2015 Page 21 of 23

One way to test whether he did this last year is release points: The Angels’ right-handed pitchers do have, among all teams’ relievers, the third-most variation in vertical release points. Another is general descriptions: Joe Smith is obvious, as only one reliever in baseball (Brad Ziegler) has a lower release point that he does. But what about the rest? How would we describe them?

Street “relies heavily on deception”

Jepsen used a new arm slot so that he “has the added benefit of increased deception”

Grilli has “got a little deception going. He jumps out at you, and before you know it, the ball is gone.”

Salas strikes batters out “with deception as much as velocity.”

Morin: “The potentially deceptive feature is a long-ish arm stroke that leaves his pitching arm ‘dragging’ more than usual behind his body as he drives to the plate.”

Pestano has a “‘funky’ 3/4-arm delivery adds deception to his motion and causes the pitch to cut instead of tail.”

Nobody ever called Rasmus deceptive. Which is the ultimate deception. (He’s a reliever who throws four pitches with near-equal frequency, for what that’s worth.) All of these guys do something different than the others, and in a subjective sense many seem to do something different than a typical right-handed reliever.

Now, I’m going to walk this way back. Doug Thorburn, asked by me to assess all the Angels’ primary relievers, contends that “overall, the Halo bullpen does not strike me as especially varied in terms of ‘look,’ whether talking about delivery or repertoire.” The 2013 unit, he says, despite being much less effective, actually has more diversity: “Individually they're not especially interesting, but as a group they do offer some ‘different looks.’” If there’s a theme to the bullpens, it’s “the sheer number of RP's they have had (since 2013) who invoke the ‘hunch’ into or out of max leg lift. That shouldn't affect things in terms of the hitter's POV, but I could see how that might be interpreted as ‘different looks.’” I don’t argue with Doug on things like this.

The truth is, measuring the value of sequencing relievers would be nearly as hard as measuring the value of sequenced pitches. You’d have to know which characteristics to build your taxonomy around, you’d have to figure out the ways to measure those characteristics, you’d have to know how those characteristics influence the matchup, how those characteristics’ value is affected by other pitchers having (or not having) the same characteristics, how batters in general can or can’t adapt to these characteristics, and how specific batters individually are prone or not prone to these characteristics. Then you have to figure out whether there’s even an implementation of these varied characteristics that outweighs the always reliable “get good pitchers, then use the best ones as often as possible and in the most important moments possible” way of building and deploying a bullpen.

So I’m not going to go so far as to say this plan worked. I’m going to go so far as to say that there’s a plan. If there really were public campaigns for GM positions, I’d expect an awful lot of candidates to promise to fix the bullpen. I don’t think more than one in each race would have a policy paper and a stump speech on how exactly he’d do it. Dipoto does, and for that I’d vote for him. April 2, 2015 Page 22 of 23

Appendix

Because a Doug Thorburn assessment is too good to waste, here’s how he described the eight regulars in the Angels’ postseason bullpen:

Street has the electric slide to start his windup, but otherwise is pretty pedestrian with his "look" in terms of arm slot and stuff - the only weird thing is that he doesn't throw very hard for a RP (avg FB 90.2 mph).

Salas throws a knucklecurve, so that's fun, with velo that averages 91.8 mph on the FB. He has a late posture-change to his delivery, manipulating a higher slot, and yet his average release point has basically the exact same vertical height as the well-balanced Street.

Jepsen is now a member of the Rays, so I don't know if he fits. He was the hardest thrower of the group (avg FB 96.3 mph), though his "look" was not especially interesting.

Smith is "different" for obvious reasons of submarine goodness, but he actually stands out among the sub cohort as well. Most submarine guys hunch over during the stride (as they drop down) and then pop up to have solid posture into release point; Smith, doesn't really pop up, instead he just keeps on drifting with spine-tilt toward the 3B/arm side at release. His release-point window is ridiculous.

Grilli is now a Brave, so same boat as Jepsen. Grilli's basically a 2-pitch guy (FB/SL), with a very quick yet boring delivery. He pitches from the stretch at all times, and he might "look" like he's different because of his quickness (~0.85 seconds from first movement to release point).

Pestano has the hunch-over of a submarine guy but pops up too early to earn the moniker. Nonetheless, he finishes with strong posture and a very low release point (~4.6-5.0 feet vert height, depending on season, Z-score of -2.0 or less), so he does provide a different look that falls short of the Smith extreme but is far from "normal." He's another 2-pitch guy (80%/20% on FB/CB last year), and his velo has been declining.

Rasmus actually has some of that submarine hunch in the early-going, but it's short-lived and he starts tilting to the glove/1B side on top of foot strike. It results in a ~10:30-11:00 arm slot and a vert height of 5.6-5.8 feet (for a guy who's listed at 6'0"). He finishes by falling off to the 1B side, and the side-to-side of his balance might be construed as a "different look."

Morin has some late tilt and his delivery kinda explodes after foot strike (from slow momentum to big torque), but it's far from unique.

***

The following articles were essential:

Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, July 26, 2014. “I think it is probably two totally different skill sets," Dipoto said. "I think you'll probably realize, just from grading my past performance in that regard, I may have been better at one than the other. I'm not sure which one that is."

Abby Mastrocco, Fox Sports, Aug. 8, 2014. April 2, 2015 Page 23 of 23

Pedro Moura, Orange County Register, Sept. 18, 2014.

Reuters, Nov. 30, 2012. “While starting pitchers have track records and you have a pretty good idea of what you're going to get out of position players in terms of production, in the bullpen that is akin to going to Las Vegas and throwing it all down on double-zero green," Dipoto said late in the 2012 season. "There's smart and there's stupid. That definitely leans toward the latter."

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Mike Trout Spurs Sports Drink Deal Between Angels, BodyArmor

By WSJ STAFF

Upstart sports drink BodyArmor is set to announce a multiyear deal Thursday to become the official sports drink of the Los Angeles Angels, the company’s first such agreement in a market long dominated by Gatorade.

The deal was spurred by Angels center fielder Mike Trout, the reigning American League MVP, who owns a small stake in BodyArmor as part of his endorsement deal with the company.

In an interview Wednesday, Trout said he encouraged both BodyArmor executives and Angels officials to make a deal to bring the drink into the team’s dugout during games.

“We got it into the clubhouse last year and all the guys loved it,” Trout said. “I brought it to the Angels’ attention and said, ‘Let’s try to get this thing in the dugout,’ and they came through with it.”

Several high-profile athletes have endorsed the drink, including Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who owns a large stake in the company. But the agreement with the Angels marks BodyArmor’s first official team or pro sideline hydration deal.

Gatorade, which was previously the primary drink available in the Angels’ dugout, is the national sports drink sponsor of Major League Baseball. But teams are free to negotiate their own such deals for regular-season games. More than half of the 30 teams in MLB have their own deals with Gatorade.

BodyArmor chairman Mike Repole, who sold Glaceau, the maker of Vitaminwater and Smartwater, to Coca-Cola Co.KO -0.25% for $4.1 billion in 2007, said he sees Trout’s involvement in the team’s choice of sports drink partner as the start of a larger trend.

“Athletes think a lot differently today than they did 10 years ago,” he said. “I don’t think that athletes want to be told what to do and forced what to do drink.”

Repole said the company projects $65 million in retail sales this year, which would be an increase of more than 160% from last year. Trout said he endorsed the drink in 2012 after finding that it helped him avoid cramping.