Nick Adenhart

How about the Angels?  The team has come so far since the death of Nick Adenhart in the season’s first week.  After closing the month of April with a record of 9-12, they went on a tear (88-53) the rest of the way to finish with the second-best record in the American League (and the majors, for that matter).  Whether or not he wins his second Manager of the Year award, Mike Scioscia did a hell of a job.  No one can blame the Angels for their slow start, but we can give them credit – for battling all year and, no matter what happens the rest of the way, for honoring their fallen teammate every time they take the field.

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Harry Kalas and former pitcher Mark Fidrych, both of whom passed away four days after Angels rookie Nick Adenhart.  Kalas called Phillies games for nearly 40 years, and though no one knew it at the time, he threw out the first pitch before what turned out to be the very last home game he would work.  Kalas celebrated his 73rd birthday two and a half weeks before his death.

Continue reading "All-Star balloting reminds me of the Iowa Caucus"

Tragedy struck the baseball world Thursday morning, as Angels 22-year-old rookie Nick Adenhart, hours removed from making his season debut, died in a car crash.  In just his fourth-ever big-league start, Adenhart threw six shutout innings against the Athletics and left with his team leading 3-0, only to see the Angels’ bullpen surrender the lead and lose 6-4.

Continue reading "A sad day for baseball"