February 22, 2018 Page 1 of 26 Clips (February 22, 2018) February 22, 2018 Page 2 of 26 Today’s Clips Contents FROM THE OC REGISTER (PAGE 3) Angels Notes: Well-traveled Colin Walsh hopes to grab big league bench spot FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (PAGE 4) Chris Carter wants to re-awaken his career FROM ANGELS.COM (PAGE 7) Cozart gets some new leather for third base Parker isn’t taking anything for granted Angels acquire Blash from Yankees FROM ESPN.COM (PAGE 9) Yankees trade OF Jabari Blash to Angels for player or cash FROM BLEACHER REPORT (PAGE 10) Introducing MLB’s ‘Best Shape of Their Life’ Team for 2018 FROM NBC SPORTS (PAGE 15) Angels acquire Jabari Blash from the Yankees FROM FANRAG SPORTS NETWORK (PAGE 15) Angels acquire Jabari Blash from the Yankees FROM MLB.COM (PAGE 16) Hosmer, Trout and defensive-metric dilemmas FROM KITSAP SUN – USA TODAY (PAGE 19) Chuck Stark: Feeling blue that Ohtani wears red FROM CBS SPORTS (PAGE 22) Spring Training 2018: The most notable position changes to watch this month February 22, 2018 Page 3 of 26 FROM THE OC REGISTER Angels Notes: Well-traveled Colin Walsh hopes to grab big league bench spot By Jeff Fletcher TEMPE, Ariz. — Colin Walsh is becoming an expert at adapting. A non-roster invite with the Angels, Walsh is with the seventh team of his career, including five in just the last two-plus seasons. “You meet a lot of people,” Walsh said. “It’s not ideal, but whatever path it takes to get to the right team is the best one. If it takes six or seven teams to end up in the right spot, that’s all I can really ask for.” Walsh, a 28-year-old infielder, would seem to be in a decent spot now. When the Angels traded C.J. Cron a few days ago, they did so because they wanted more versatility with what figures to be a three- man bench. They also continue to be focused on improving their on-base percentage. A natural second baseman, Walsh can play all four infield positions and left field. The switch-hitter also has a career .397 on-base percentage in the minor leagues. “You hope to get to the organization that values what I do well,” Walsh said. A La Jolla native and product of Stanford, Walsh was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, with current Angels scouting director Matt Swanson having inked him for the Cardinals in 2010. Walsh then passed to the Oakland A’s, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros. He was with the latter three all in 2017. “You just try to make new friends and do the same thing every time and try to make a good impression on whatever team you are with,” Walsh said. “It’s kind of tough because teams don’t know who you are, but you get a chance to make a new impression. You get a team with a fresh outlook on you and you get to make your own image as opposed to a team that has had you for five or six years and has you pigeonholed as one thing.” In 2016, the Brewers took him as a Rule 5 pick, which is how he got his 63 plate appearances of big league experience. He hit just .085, albeit with a .317 on-base percentage. The Angels currently have a wide open race for the final bench spot vacated by Cron. Other than Walsh, the leading candidates would seem to be Kaleb Cowart, Nolan Fontana and Jose Miguel Fernandez. Cowart and Fontana are already on the 40-man roster, while Walsh and Fernandez are not. If it doesn’t work for Walsh with the Angels, it figures another team will give him a shot. “Might as well go for all 30 at this point,” he said. February 22, 2018 Page 4 of 26 SLOW STARTING Fans hoping to see Mike Trout play when the Angels open the Cactus League schedule this weekend could be disappointed. When the start of the regular season moved up four days, but not the start of spring training, the workout time for everyday players before the first exhibition games was compressed. For that reason, when the Cactus League schedule starts on Friday, the Angels will not be using most of their key everyday players. Manager Mike Scioscia said they will let most of the players wait until next week. Major League Baseball has a loosely enforced rule mandating four major leaguers in the lineup for all spring training games, but that rule won’t be enforced at all until Mar. 1 this spring. “A couple guys might get a couple at bats if they are up for it,” Scioscia said. “As we worked it out, we need to get these guys to a certain point with their legs and arms before they go out and get in a game and react. You are cutting their training time in half.” Scioscia said the younger players were told back in November to push up their training schedules so they can be ready for games immediately. OHTANI’S DAY Shohei Ohtani took live batting practice for the second straight day, but this time he swung at a couple pitches instead of simply tracking them. He hit a pair of foul balls, one apiece against Andrew Heaney and Cam Bedrosian. He is scheduled for another bullpen session on Thursday, so the soonest he could pitch in a game would be Saturday. He isn’t likely to hit in a game before Monday. ROSTER MOVES The Angels acquired outfielder Jabari Blash from the New York Yankees for a player to be named or cash. Blash, who had been designated for assignment by the Yankees, hit .200 with a .323 on-base percentage in parts of two big league seasons with the Padres. To make room on the 40-Man roster, the Angels moved Alex Meyer to the 60-day disabled list. Meyer is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Chris Carter wants to re-awaken his career By Jeff Miller When he makes contact, his bat couldn't produce more noise. As for the man himself, Chris Carter is generally so quiet that past teammates have nicknamed him "Sleepy." February 22, 2018 Page 5 of 26 "Nice guy, soft-spoken, big teddy bear," the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Carter said Wednesday. "I've heard them all." Signed last week to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, he was brought in as possible insurance should one of the Angels regulars get injured, and also because of his immense power. Carter tied for the National League lead with 41 home runs in 2016 while playing with Milwaukee. Deep into May that season, he still had more homers than singles. He also hit 37 home runs for Houston in 2014. Of course, if he doesn't make contact, Carter's bat sounds just like everyone else's when they whiff, and he twice has struck out more than 200 times in a season. "He's got that stupid power," said Angels catcher Martin Maldonado, who played with Carter in Milwaukee. "All he has to do is make contact and the ball is going to go out." During the 2016 season, Carter had four multiple-homer games, including May 3 at Miller Park against the Angels. That night, he hit two balls that traveled a combined 870 feet off starter Nick Tropeano in a game the Angels lost 5-4. "It was like that all year long," Maldonado recalled. "But it was more fun to watch his BP than the actual game." Other than those two swings, Carter went hitless in 10 at-bats during that series, a fitting snapshot of a player who, in parts of eight seasons, has 158 home runs but only a .217 average. Last February, the New York Yankees signed Carter in a situation similar to the one he faces today. Because of injuries, he was forced to play more than anticipated and struggled to the point where then- Yankees manager Joe Girardi described continuing to start Carter as "it's what we have." In July, Carter was released with eight home runs and a .201 average in 62 games. He said he believes he could return to producing like he did in his one season with the Brewers if "given enough at-bats." The problem is the Angels might not have those at-bats to give. "He's a guy who, if he makes contact with the ball, who knows where it's going?" said Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker, who played with Carter during a two-week All-Star tour in Japan in 2014. "It could even be terrible contact. With guys like him, the ball just goes." With guys like "Sleepy," the key is an awakened bat. February 22, 2018 Page 6 of 26 Kinsler glad to be on same side as Trout Mike Trout leads the Angels by pretty much every measure. So why wouldn't he also lead them as an example of how to play this game in a time-honored manner? "He's just a ballplayer," said second baseman Ian Kinsler, who was traded to the Angels in December. "Obviously, he's extremely talented. You respect guys on the other side who approach the game that way." Entering his 13th season, Kinsler has a reputation of performing with a gritty, dirty-uniform style not unlike Trout's.