LeBron James’ defiance of Father Time keeps us watching

• March 27, 2023

Editor’s note: This is the Monday, March 27, 2023, edition of the Purple & Bold Lakers newsletter from reporter Kyle Goon. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.

The closest I ever got in five years to seeing LeBron James as he is – and not merely as he wishes to be seen – was three years ago.

The NBA bubble had a bizarre kind of closeness (even as we were masking and following certain distancing guidelines) sort of like a high school drama production: You could always get a glimpse backstage. “Locker rooms” were sometimes curtained-off parts of the court that NBA teams were playing on feet away. There was very little privacy; vulnerabilities that can often be shrouded by closed doors in huge sprawling arenas were largely out for scrutiny.

It was in this setting that I watched James, then 35, work out with assistant Phil Handy for half an hour, which isn’t itself unusual. What was unique about this session was how poorly he shot, missing looks left and right, looking tired, sweating through his hoodie. During the early days of the pandemic, James had grown the beard of a mountaineer, and he had let gray seep into its fringes.

Writers look for poignant scenes and moments, and to me at the time, this was one of those. This workout was on the cusp of the NBA Restart, and truly no one knew how the top-seeded Lakers were going to play – not to mention if the entire bubble might collapse in a week. The gray hairs, the weary workout, James lying on his back on the court, swearing in frustration – it captured the sense of uncertainty at the time, as well as the star’s toughest one-on-one he’ll ever face, against Father Time.

So I did what any writer would do – I wrote it. And as vulnerable as I found that moment for LeBron, it was even more telling what I noticed in the media session before the first game that would count: He dyed his beard. All those white hairs that subtly suggest a kind of sageness or worldy experience were blended to look just like the others.

What I’ve come to understand about LeBron James is that he does not age gracefully. He ages defiantly. He kicks back. He relishes his still profound physical gifts at age 38, maybe even more loudly on social media than he ever did before. You think you can peg when he’s coming back from an injury? No, he says, only he decides when he’s coming back.

The latest battle of James’ career has summoned forth that brazenness once again. James’ latest four-week return from a torn tendon in his right foot is indeed a feat. But his willingness to trumpet the achievement in superlative terms is, well, very LeBron of him.

When did he get a sense that he could return earlier than most thought? “When the doctors told me I was healing faster than anybody they’ve seen before with the injury,” he said.

Faster than anybody? I’m sure they called Guinness to check the record book.

But past some declarations that can cause involuntary eye-rolling – like James’ description that he got his final medical recommendation from “the LeBron James of feet” – there’s something very compelling in his saga, now 20 years long.

Unlike many men feeling the onset of middle age doldrums setting in, James seeks to shake off the feeling like a musty winter coat. Unlike many of us, he has the ability to work out three hours a day on a torn tendon that two other doctors said he should get surgically repaired. And if he has to do tireless work around the clock to do it, he can. And he will.

James understands the work of being an NBA star – not just a great player, but a 24/7 face-of-the-league celebrity – in a way that few others have ever been able to grasp. One of the things he understood early on was that his body was his ticket, and if it failed him, that would diminish every other great ambition he had in his life. That’s why he reportedly spends $1 million or more on his body every year. It also helps frame why he can be so furtive about his physical vulnerabilities, which he treats as high-level corporate secrets.

When asked if he would eventually need surgery on his foot, James said the most he knows is that he doesn’t need surgery right now. But he added: “If I end up having to get surgery after the season, you guys won’t know. I don’t talk to you guys in the offseason, and by the time next season starts, I’ll be fine, I’ll be ready to go.”

James understands that his brand represents not just winning, but a kind of physical invincibility. That has been undercut in recent years by his injury struggles: In five seasons as a Laker, he’s only played more than 60 games once. The foot isn’t even his most serious injury he’s had in L.A. – his 2018 groin tear was the predecessor to a litany of injuries that followed, and at times he’s given us reason to believe that it still bothers him in some unknowable way.

But possibly the most human trait I’ve observed about LeBron is how he fights the idea that he’s getting older – whether it’s reposting his sky-high dunks, or doing a commercial where he plays the embodiment of Father Time. He spits in its face. He suggests that he’s still young at heart, perhaps the reason why he still gets a kick out of playing basketball against teenagers who played against his oldest son, or who have fathers who guarded him two decades ago.

At times, James’ struggle to stay ahead of the sands of time have gotten him into trouble. His support of the trade for Russell Westbrook can be seen, in one sense, of him trying to jumpstart a new super team, and it failing miserably. As defiant of time as he may be, James has a sense of how his championship contending window is closing – maybe most accurately, how time is limited for him to be the best player on a championship team – and it draws him to impulsive choices, like his desire for the Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving earlier this season.

But outside of his dubious personnel judgment, James is driven to do other incredible things. Blowing past the NBA’s all-time scoring record might have felt, to some, a little hollow amid a season on the brink, but I suspect the passing of time and James’ continued distancing from the field will provide perspective to the achievement that was and is. Even before that, when he scored a season-high 47 points on his 38th birthday, he astounded and shook the dust off a team that was headed to oblivion – the start of a five-game win streak.

What we can lose sight of is that these days will end. That’s what ultimately gives sports such value: We watch highly trained, highly focused human beings perform physical feats no one else can. No game is ever perfectly duplicated – there’s a level of improvisation, a kind of script-less drama to every night that makes it compelling. And LeBron James is more fun to watch than most.

The reason I’m writing this is because I’m out of time. After five years covering the Lakers, this is my final day at Southern California News Group. I’ve watched LeBron and the Lakers play hundreds of times live, watched them win a championship that almost no one still can fully appreciate, watched them tumble from the top due to mistakes of their own making. It’s been a journey of triumph and grief.

After those tightly packed years, you’re filled with the urge to mark the moment. One impulse I have is to simply list all the things I wish I had communicated better as a day-to-day beat reporter, or weigh in on the pressing issues the franchise finds itself in now.

I will say I find Anthony Davis to be underappreciated, miscast by pundits trying to compare him to Michael Jordan instead of comparing him to Scottie Pippen. If the Lakers ever were to trade him (as many fans tweet over and over), they’d be hard-pressed to ever find someone with as much two-way value in return.

I think those who rushed to give two thumbs up to the Lakers at the trade deadline might want to wait until the season plays out, then ask themselves if saving a first-round pick was worth punting away half the season on a Westbrook experiment that had already played out.

I’ll say I think the Lakers, as a franchise, have to think hard about whether they’re growing the business and the brand in a way that sets them up for the future, rather than simply trading on their winning past and assuming that approach will keep carrying them.

But time and time again, I’m drawn to LeBron – who on the day of my final game covering the Lakers, made himself the story. And while the Lakers lost, watching him play was a fitting epitaph to my time on the beat. LeBron James agreed to join the Lakers on July 1, 2018. I agreed to cover the Lakers on July 2.

There are times when James seems like a “superhero,” as Jeanie Buss once told me. There are times when he seems like his celebrity has taken him out of touch or left him with a lack of perspective. But what we can find in those contradictions, I think, is that part of the human spirit that feels the drag of time and lashes back. There’s a human being in there, one who is still subject to the ravages of age, but he does everything in his power to push past those limits and keep the show going.

When I started covering the Lakers, I assumed I would be watching the gentle decline of James’ storied career. It’s been anything but: He rages against the dying of the light. Now, he’s outlasted this scribe – and I’m not going to be the one to take a guess at how many more minutes are left.

Only LeBron James can say when he’s done.

Editor’s note: Thanks for reading the Purple & Bold Lakers newsletter from reporter Kyle Goon. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.

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​ Orange County Register 

Skydiver freed from electrical lines in Lake Elsinore

• March 27, 2023

Firefighters freed a skydiver who became entangled in power lines Monday afternoon, March 27, during a landing attempt near Skydive Elsinore.

A Southern California Edison crew cut the electricity after the accident in Lake Elsinore, which was reported just before noon.

At about 1 p.m., Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters using a ladder truck freed the skydiver. She was taken to a hospital.

Her condition was unclear.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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​ Orange County Register 

Larry Elder: Alvin Bragg’s bogus case against Donald Trump

• March 27, 2023

Former President Donald Trump, citing “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan district attorney’s office, posted the following on social media: “…WITH NO CRIME BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN, & BASED ON AN OLD & FULLY DEBUNKED (BY NUMEROUS OTHER PROSECUTORS!) FAIRYTALE, THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK…”

If true, this represents a 180-degree switch from when Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg entered office. In February 2022, two prosecutors, described as leading the Manhattan DA’s criminal investigation of Trump, resigned over Bragg’s decision not to proceed with the case. According to The New York Times, the then-new Manhattan D.A. “indicated to them that he had doubts about moving forward with a case against” Trump. CNN reported: “One person familiar with the investigation by the district attorney’s office told CNN that Bragg appeared ‘disinterested’ in his office’s investigation into the Trump Organization…”

A former Manhattan assistant D.A., Mark Pomerantz, who resigned over the office’s failure to prosecute Trump, wrote a book asserting that Trump committed felonies, including a $130,000 payment to a former porn star. But in an NPR interview, Pomerantz conceded: “I am not suggesting to you that there were no legitimate reasons to stand down. People could conclude that bringing the case and losing the case would promote enormous disrespect for the law.”

Bragg, since entering office, has reportedly come down with an acute case of the second thoughts. On Jan. 30, 2023, the New York Times reported: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday began presenting evidence to a grand jury about Donald J. Trump’s role in paying hush money ($130,000) to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign, laying the groundwork for potential criminal charges…”

Yet even the Times wrote: “A conviction is not a sure thing, in part because a case could hinge on showing that Mr. Trump and his company falsified records to hide the payout from voters days before the 2016 election, a low-level felony charge that would be based on a largely untested legal theory.” It also hinges on the testimony and credibility of Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer, now disbarred, who pleaded guilty to and served time for criminal tax evasion and campaign finance violations. Some star witness.

Why use an untested legal theory? Falsifying business records is generally a New York state misdemeanor. This poses a problem because the state misdemeanor statute of limitations is two years. So, what to do? Bragg argues that the falsification occurred to further a second crime, in this case a federal campaign finance violation, so, voila, this becomes a felony illegal campaign contribution with a five-year statute of limitations. The argument goes that the payment to silence the porn star was to advance Trump’s presidential campaign, as opposed to avoid personal embarrassment and possible damage to his marriage. And the payment came from Trump’s personal finances, not from campaign funds.

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But even under this untested theory and its five-year statute of limitations, time has still expired. But wait! The New York Times writes: “..New York law extends those limits to cover periods when a defendant was continuously out of state, as Mr. Trump was while living in the White House or at his home in Florida. In addition, during the pandemic, New York’s statute of limitations was extended by more than a year.”

Keep in mind that the Federal Elections Commission voted 4-1 in 2021 to close its investigation, failing to find that Trump “knowingly and willfully” broke the federal campaign finance law Bragg claims Trump violated. As to the Department of Justice, in July 2019, the Associated Press wrote: “…(DOJ) prosecutors revealed in a court filing this week that they had closed their investigation (of alleged Trump campaign finance violations.)”

George Washington Law Professor Jonathan Turley, a Democrat, called Bragg’s case against Trump “legally pathetic” and accused the George Soros-backed D.A. of “struggling to twist state laws to effectively prosecute a federal case long ago rejected by the Justice Department against Trump.”

Apart from that…

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on Twitter @larryelder.

​ Orange County Register 

Chasing Waterfalls

• March 27, 2023

What is 2,425 feet high and full of water?

If you guessed Yosemite Falls before seeing this sentence, not only are you right, it’s pretty impressive that you knew that. For the rest of us who had no clue, it’s true! Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America and after recent record shattering rainfall in California, it’s flowing more than ever.

With more waterfalls than you can count on your hands and toes, Yosemite National Park is home to Yosemite Falls. Seasonal rainfall and melting snow send water plunging to the valley floor below from November through July, but the best time to see this epic wonder in action is during the Spring before running dry by late summer.

Yosemite Falls: With three separate drops, Yosemite Falls wows visitors as they take the easy trail up to the bottom of Lower Yosemite Fall.

Yosemite Falls might be the star of the show, but there’s many lesser known waterfalls as well that are worth spending a day to discover. Back-to-back storms that continue to soak us all are providing more water than expected this season and have seemingly turned on every fall in the park which makes this the year to visit.

For those planning an adventurous getaway to Yosemite this spring, you’ve got the right idea. And with this short list of co-starring waterfalls to check out after seeing the big show Yosemite Falls, you’ll go from being a casual tourist to a cascade connoisseur in a day.

Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall: This stunner is the welcoming committee to Yosemite Valley, previewing the amazing waterfalls throughout the rest of the Valley.

The first waterfall you’ll see is this stunning 620-foot head-turner. Bridalveil Fall can be seen as you enter Yosemite Valley from Highway 140 or Highway 41, so prepare to be greeted by this beauty when you arrive.

Vernal Fall & Nevada Fall

Yosemite’s most famous hike, The Mist Trail, climbs up hundreds of steps carved into the side of a mountain. This is where you’ll be able to see these two waterfalls that flow year round. Nevada Fall which sits at 594 feet is directly above the 317 foot Vernal Fall and also features a pair of beautiful pools called Emerald and Silver Apron. For safety reasons, there’s no swimming permitted.

Sentinel Fall

Sentinel Falls: Be on the lookout for Sentinel Falls which ripples through the rocks near Sentinel Dome.

Located on Yosemite Valley’s southside, next to Sentinel Rock, is Sentinel Fall. A confluence of cascades that range from 50 to 500 feet make up this elusive site to see that only flows March-June during peak waterfall season. Sentinel Beach Picnic Area also allows for an extended view and a great place to linger.

Chilnualna Falls

Chilnualna Falls: At one of the five cascades along Chilnualna Falls, visitors rest on the long hike to the top.

One of Yosemite’s lesser-known waterfalls is Chilnualna Falls. Located in Wawona, this series of cascades require a strenuous 8 mile hike that begins at an elevation of 4,200 feet. Views of the small village of Wawona and Wawona Meadow can be seen after tackling this hidden gem.

Lodging within Wawona is also available. For those planning on visiting, The Redwoods in Yosemite is a great stay. With 125 fully-equipped cabins, and luxury homes within this quiet town, you’ll be conveniently located next to a variety of travel-worthy destinations including Chilnualna Falls, Mariposa Grove, and more.

The Redwoods in Yosemite: Located inside Yosemite in Wawona, The Redwoods in Yosemite includes private cabins that range from rustic to luxurious.

If lodging within the park isn’t a top priority, another great stay is Tenaya at Yosemite. This full-service resort is just 2 miles from the park’s South Gate Entrance, and offers modern suites and hotel rooms that keep you close to restaurants, activities and other amenities.

Tenaya at Yosemite: Near the southern entrance to Yosemite, Tenaya at Yosemite encompasses three different lodging experiences: Tenaya Lodge, the Cottages and the Explorer Cabins.

​ Orange County Register 

Suspect dead after shooting at Nashville private school

• March 27, 2023

The suspect in a shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday is dead, officials said.

The Nashville Fire Department said on Twitter there are “multiple patients” but their conditions were not immediately clear. The shooting occurred at The Covenant School, where students walked to safety holding hands to a nearby church to reunited with their parents.

The shooter died after being “engaged by” officers, Metro Nashville Police said in a Twitter post. It was not immediately clear whether the shooter died by suicide or was shot by police.

The fire department said they responded to an “active aggressor” but did not give any specifics. Other details about the shooting were not immediately available.

The Covenant School has had an enrollment of about 200 students from preschool to sixth grade in recent years and was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001, according to the school’s website.

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​ Orange County Register 

Status Update: North Orange County job fair touts hundreds of available positions

• March 27, 2023

The North Orange County Job Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 6 at Saddleback High School in Santa Ana.

Saddleback Church is partnering with the Santa Ana Unified School District, the city of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Task Force.

The same job fair last year hosted 85 local employers offering more than 5,000 positions from entry-level to highly skilled.

Organizers said the job fair is open to anyone looking for work in Orange County.

Address: 2802 S Flower St, Santa Ana, CA 29707.

Ingrid Valenzuela has been sworn in as the postmaster of the Anaheim U.S. Post Office. (Courtesy of the US Postal Service)

Anaheim welcomes new USPS postmaster

Ingrid Valenzuela has been sworn in as the postmaster of the Anaheim U.S. Post Office.

The tradition dates back 162 years to 1861 when John Fischer became the location’s first postmaster.

Valenzuela took the oath of office at 701 N. Loara on Friday, March 24.

She has been with the USPS for 17 years, beginning as a carrier in Huntington Beach in 2006.

“I aspire to uplift my city and make it shine and make people wish they work here too,” Valenzuela said in a statement.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley stands with the nominees and awardees of her Second Annual Women Making A Difference Awards. (Courtesy of Katrina Foley’s office)

Women honored for their stories, contribution

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley hosted her second annual Women Making A Difference Awards, honoring National Women’s History Month and female storytellers. Honorees and their categories are:

Arts: Erin Angelo of Ladera Ranch is a professional ballroom dancer, educator and founder/executive director of Rx Ballroom Dance, a nonprofit that provides free ballroom dance instruction for people with degenerative neurological conditions.

Blogs: Jeanette Knutti of Irvine is the CEO and founder of Moxie Marketing Agency. She runs a blog that focuses on inspiration and themes of kindness, love and self-care.

Books & Publications: Allison Deming of Laguna Beach is the vice president of Conservation Medicine and Science at Pacific Marine Mammal Center. She will publish a book this spring on marine mammal research and her findings.

Radio: Patti Compton of Laguna Beach is the host of “Play Something Sweet” on KXFM, a music history show that puts songs in a historical context.

Stage: Jocelyn Brown of Ladera Ranch has directed plays primarily at Chance Theater and Chapman University, helping develop new material by women playwrights while serving as Chance Theater’s associate artistic director.

Podcasts: Mary-Christine Sungaila of Newport Beach works as a full-time appellate lawyer and is the creator and host of The Portia Project podcast, which aims to inspire women to join the legal sector.

Social Media: Esther Park and Mijin Park of Laguna Hills are the co-founders of Fully Health Clinic and create content promoting mental health.

Film: Mauren “Mo” Langley of San Clemente for five years has managed the San Clemente Women’s Surf Film Festival.

Public Information: Roxi Fyad of Costa Mesa serves as public affairs manager for the Costa Mesa Police Department. The first civilian public affairs manager in the department’s history, she works with the media and oversees crime prevention, community programs and events and the volunteer program.

News – Print: Lana Johnson of Newport Beach is the editor of Stu News Newport and Stu News Laguna, writing, processing and editing stories for both cities.

News – Television: Michele Gile of Corona Del Mar works at KCAL-CBS LA News and has been in the news business for 30 years.

O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills is commemorating 125 years in business. At left is Patrick O’Connor with the mortuary’s first company hearse, and at right are the current owners, Jeff, Joseph and Charles. The business is one of the oldest family-owned mortuaries in California. (Courtesy of O’Connor Mortuary)

Mortuary honors its 125th anniversary

O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills is commemorating 125 years in business as one of the oldest, continually family-owned mortuaries in California.

The company will host an open house from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at 25301 Alicia Pkwy.

Patrick Joseph O’Connor, the founder, partnered with Thomas Cunningham, opening the first Cunningham & O’Connor Mortuary in 1898 on Fifth and Main Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Patrick’s son, Joseph Alan O’Connor Sr., expanded the business to Hollywood in 1950. His son, Joseph O’Connor Jr., then expanded it to the San Gabriel Valley in 1965.

O’Connor Jr. would go on to open his own location, O’Connor Mortuary, in Orange County in 1976. The business was constructed on land where cattle and sheep once grazed. The family called it “the little house on the prairie” on Alicia Parkway near Paseo de Valencia.

The mortuary continues to operate from that very spot today with Joseph O’Connor Jr.’s sons-in-law, Joe Fitzgerald and Chuck Ricciardi at the helm.

On the move

The nonprofit Radiant Futures, formerly Women’s Transitional Living Center, has made two key hires in recent weeks. Adriana De La Torre is the new housing services manager, overseeing the organization’s emergency shelter, transitional housing program and key housing program. Tatiana Restrepo is the new contracts and compliance manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for five years in various administrative roles.

Working Wardrobes recently received a donation from Women Helping Women, which is dissolving its chapter. WHW opted to give its last donation of $100,000 to Working Wardrobes. (Courtesy of Working Wardrobes)

Women Helping Women offers one last gift

Working Wardrobes recently received a donation from Women Helping Women, which is dissolving its chapter.

After years of helping the local community, WHW opted to give its last donation of $100,000 to Working Wardrobes in Irvine.

WHW Board members presented the donation of their remaining funds to help Working Wardrobes provide job seekers with workforce preparedness services.

Grants

Unlimited Possibilities, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit that helps children and families with disabilities, received a $25,000 grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation. This money will greatly help the organization with its critical “Access to Care” program, providing early intervention and pediatric therapy to 450 underinsured, low-income children and families in the county.

Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels banking on deeper lineup to correct offensive issues of 2022

• March 27, 2023

The Angels took an unfamiliar path to a familiar destination last year.

They finished with a losing record, and out of the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

Instead of crumbling because of poor pitching, as had been their pattern, the 2022 Angels fell apart because of an anemic offense.

As they open the 2023 season desperate to end their postseason drought, they are hanging their hopes on a deeper lineup, one with the usual star power at the top but newly added reliable major leaguers surrounding them.

“It’s a lot of what we categorize as professional hitters,” General Manager Perry Minasian said. “They are going to give quality at-bats, night in and night out. You aren’t always going to get results. Nobody hits 1.000. But they are professional hitters. You have a lineup that understands the scoreboard, the counts, fouls off tough pitches, moves runners, hits the ball over the fence. All those things.”

Last season the Angels started off with a productive offense. Through May 24 – when they were 27-17 – the Angels ranked second in the majors in OPS.

Right around that time, though, two of the key hitters on either side of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani began to crack.

Leadoff man Taylor Ward, who had been one of baseball’s best stories, crashed into the fence on May 20 and suffered a shoulder injury that sapped his power for three months.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon suffered a wrist injury on May 8, tried to play through it for a couple of weeks, tried to rest it on the injured list for another couple of weeks, and finally succumbed to surgery.

Infielders David Fletcher and Jared Walsh also saw their production shrivel because of injuries that required surgery.

The replacements the Angels tried were a cast of misfits, many of whom simply were not major league-caliber hitters. The Angels had 11 players last season who produced an OPS below .600 while getting at least 50 plate appearances. Only the 102-loss Oakland A’s had more, with 12.

By the time it was over, the Angels ranked 25th in the majors in runs.

Over the winter, Minasian knew he still had the core of a good offensive team – led by Trout, Ohtani, Ward, Rendon and Walsh – but he needed better complementary players.

The Angels added infielders Gio Urshela and Brandon Drury and outfielder Hunter Renfroe. While those names aren’t as sexy as some of the stars on the free agent market, they combined for a .794 OPS over 1,638 plate appearances last season. The major league average OPS was .706, and the Angels ranked 23rd with a .687 OPS.

Even more promising, there will be days when all three of those above-average hitters will be in the bottom half of the Angels’ lineup.

“That puts pressure on pitchers,” Renfroe said. “We’re going to have our struggles. Everybody does, but when you have a group like this and the pitcher somehow has to navigate all the guys we have, it’s going to be tough.”

Ward recalled the start of last season and thinks this team is deep enough to keep doing that all year.

“It’s really fun being a part of this, continually flipping that lineup,” Ward said. “It’s awesome to be a part of.”

Ward said he’s not just excited because of the hitters, but because of the new hitting coaches. The Angels fired Jeremy Reed and John Mallee and replaced them with Marcus Thames and Phil Plantier.

“Marcus and Phil are great,” Ward said. “They are perfect for our club and what we need. They are more approach-based, and I think at this level, that’s what we need. Everyone got here for a reason. Now it’s just getting between-the-ears right.”

One of the issues with the Angels’ approach last season was apparently that players too often weren’t ready for fastballs.

The Angels hit .242 against fastballs last season, which was the worst in the majors. Their .393 slugging percentage against fastballs was 26th. The Angels also whiffed on 10.9% of their swings at fastballs, tied for the second-worst rate in the majors. That contributed to a major league-worst 1,539 strikeouts.

In spring training, Manager Phil Nevin said he could already see a difference.

“Marcus and Phil really stressed hunting the fastball, not getting off the fastball,” Nevin said. “We’ve certainly been aggressive early in counts. … It’s a mindset that’s bleeding into everybody.”

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If the Angels can have a more robust offense, it could also help the other problem area from last year’s team. The bullpen struggled, at least in part because they had to rely on the same pitchers too often to protect too many narrow leads.

“Part of having a deep offense is you have the ability to score every inning, no matter who is up,” Minasian said. “Those add-on runs might not be something that’s magnified over the course of a game, but it changes the next day and the day after that. … Good teams are good at the add-on runs, so you don’t have to use the high-leverage relievers night in and night out. That’s something we hope to accomplish this year.”

If the Angels can stay even remotely healthy and their hitters produce at a level in line with their recent seasons, they should produce enough offense to support a pitching staff that ranked ninth in the majors in ERA last season.

“This lineup is just so deep,” Walsh said. “Wardo and (Luis) Rengifo had great years last year. Renfroe seems like he hits 30 (homers) every year. Shohei’s a stud. Drury had a great year last year. I think it’s going to be a tough lineup, one through nine.”

​ Orange County Register 

The 2023 Angels, position by position

• March 27, 2023

STARTING ROTATION

The Angels’ starters were a pleasant surprise last season, with right-hander Shohei Ohtani and left-handers Patrick Sandoval and José Suarez all repeating strong performances from 2021. Left-hander Reid Detmers also had a breakout rookie season, including a no-hitter. It added up to a 3.67 ERA, which ranked sixth in the majors among starting pitchers. The Angels bring back those four, and now they’ve also added left-hander Tyler Anderson, who was an All-Star last season with the Dodgers. The Angels plan to use those five starters as much as possible, with a sixth starter inserted whenever they don’t have an off day. Their options for the No. 6 starter and rotation depth are better than they have been in recent years, with left-hander Tucker Davidson and right-hander Griffin Canning. Canning was one of the Angels’ top starters at times before missing a season and a half with back trouble.

BULLPEN

Bullpens are always unpredictable, and this year’s bullpen could definitely have a wide range of outcomes. Newcomer Carlos Estévez is in line to be the closer, with righties Ryan Tepera and Jimmy Herget and lefties Aaron Loup, Matt Moore and José Quijada working as the bridges between the starters and the closer. Everyone in that group has been an above-average major league reliever at some point in the past few years, so there is a best-case scenario out there in which the Angels actually have a good bullpen. Like most relievers, though, there are also questions about all of them. Estévez will be getting his first extended opportunity at closing. He had a 3.47 ERA last season and the Angels are banking that he’ll be even better out of the hitter-friendly environment of Colorado’s Coors Field. The wild card of the group is Ben Joyce, a 22-year-old who routinely hits 100 mph. He was just drafted last year, so he likely needs some more seasoning in the minors, but he could be an impact reliever by the end of the season.

INFIELD

The Angels built their infield to be full of players who could play different positions, so they can have a competent group on the field even if one or two are injured. They ended up with six players they view as everyday infielders. The only fixture is third baseman Anthony Rendon. Rendon has been hurt for most of the past two seasons, though, so the Angels now believe they’re covered if they need to replace him, with newcomers Gio Urshela and Brandon Drury. Both can play all four infield positions. Urshela is the first option to replace Rendon at third, and he also might see some time at shortstop. Drury figures to get most of his action at second base. Either of those players might also play first against left-handers if the Angels want to platoon Jared Walsh, who has been much better against righties. That leaves David Fletcher and Luis Rengifo, who can both play both middle infield spots. Rengifo is a switch-hitter who has been better against lefties, so he is expected to start whenever the Angels face a lefty. The biggest issue is that none of those players is a true shortstop defensively, although Fletcher is the best of the group. The best defensive shortstop with major league experience is Andrew Velazquez, who might not be in the majors.

DESIGNATED HITTER

The Angels are the only MLB team that has a single player essentially locked into the DH spot. Although Ohtani is one of the best designated hitters in the majors, the fact that the Angels don’t use him at all on defense sometimes complicates their lineup choices. They don’t have the option of giving one of their other regular players a half-day off at the DH spot. However, the Angels have a deeper lineup this season, so perhaps they’d be willing to give Ohtani more days off, allowing other players to DH.

OUTFIELD

Mike Trout, Hunter Renfroe and Taylor Ward form one of the best outfield trios in the majors. Trout obviously is one of the best players in the majors, a three-time American League MVP and a lock for the Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible. Even though he missed more than a month with a back injury last season, he still hit 40 home runs and produced a .999 OPS. Ward enjoyed a breakout season last year, posting an .833 OPS with 23 homers. The Angels traded for Renfroe, who has hit at least 25 homers in each of his five full seasons in the majors, with a career .790 OPS.

CATCHER

Max Stassi, who will likely start the season on the injured list with a hip issue, was above average behind the plate and at the plate in 2020 and 2021, but he regressed in both areas last season. He reworked his catching style, going to a one-knee setup, in hopes of improving his defense. The Angels still love the way he handles the pitchers, though, so he will get some leeway if he struggles in other areas. Logan O’Hoppe, the organization’s top prospect, is waiting in wings to take over as soon as his performance or Stassi’s indicate it’s time for a move.

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BENCH

The point of the Angels building such a deep roster was so they wouldn’t even have a real “bench.” Each day they will have a few players on the bench who also start regularly, like Urshela, Drury, Walsh, Fletcher or O’Hoppe. Not only does this make for a quality roster, but it also means that the player coming up to pinch-hit late in a game won’t be someone who hasn’t seen a pitch in four days. Perhaps the only true bench player will be outfielder Brett Phillips, who will get most of his action as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.

MANAGER

Phil Nevin took over in June last year, so this is his first opportunity to manage a major league team from the start of the season. One of the challenges he might face is keeping players happy when many of them will be bouncing around different positions and sitting the bench more than usual. Of course, if they all stay healthy enough for that to be a problem, it will be a good problem.

​ Orange County Register