BASEBALL 2008

We've been handed a few surprises this year by what's been going on in baseball.  A couple of big trades have shocked fans of the game.  Out here in southern California, we have a team whose lineup is hard to recognize.

The so-called Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are making waves with the best record in baseball by fielding a team that only die-hard Angel fans really know.  I've seen a few games on TV, and friends have commented with a surprised "who's that?" when some of the players come up to bat.

We can only attribute their record to great coaching.  A lot of fans have shied away from the team since Artie "Back Stabber" Moreno did something that many of us will never forget him for.  Why on Earth would he want to name his Anaheim team after a city that's over 30 miles away?  Ask almost anyone in Los Angeles County if they care about the Angels and they'll tell you that L.A. already HAS a team--the Dodgers.

I can no longer support a team that's ashamed of where they come from, so I no longer go to their live games, and root against them at every opportunity.  I tried to get a movement started a couple of years ago to boycott the team until they returned to their correct name, the Anaheim Angels.  I was somewhat successful as close to a thousand people gave up their season seats, but of course corporations jumped on those seats for visitors to this part of the country, so the effect of the boycott was minimal.

Here's hoping the Angels lose in the playoffs this year.