Angels Dust

A day late, but former Angel fourth outfielder and batting coach Nathan Haynes wins the game for former Angels bench coach Joe Madden: Video Link

Saving the game and Frankie.

Is there any doubt left Arte is the best owner in baseball?

Owner Arte Moreno surprised some three dozen Angels fans by inviting them on an impromptu shopping spree in the team’s gift store after Friday night’s home opener.

Merisa Jensen, a 25-year-old USC senior from Lancaster who has attended the last five Angels’ home openers, said she and her sister Rachel were standing outside Angel Stadium about an hour after the game when Moreno and his wife, Carole, came out and began talking with some of the 30 to 40 people still milling about.

“Suddenly he walked over to the Angels store . . . opened the door and let in the whole group of people,” Jensen said.

The souvenir shop was closed, Jensen said, but Moreno told workers to ring up a T-shirt for everyone. Cashiers gave everybody a hat too.

Everybody except Moreno. Jensen said he was handed a lengthy sales receipt, which he signed.

I guess there will be Angels fans lurking around the stadium every game now.

Link: Moreno picks up tab
Hat Tip: Baseball Primer Newsblog

Finally a game I was able to watch live (Where are my condensed games??? Where?).

It was a nice one, three long balls, Santana was pretty good, Speier served one up (Am I concerned? A bit.), Frankie making things interesting as usual, but a W in the end. More like this please.

Also, please check out the new At Homeplate Blog, run mostly (but not only) by me at the moment.

Anyway, 3-1, that’s a good start and with the Rangers coming to town, an opportunity to keep this going and gain a few games on the M’s early or at least keep up with them should they beat up the O’s.