Angels go from blowout win to one-run loss against Rockies

• June 25, 2023

DENVER — The Angels could have used a few runs from their record-setting offensive show the night before.

After beating the Rockies by 24 runs on Saturday, the Angels lost a one-run decision, 4-3, on Sunday, dropping the weekend series to Colorado two games to one.

“Baseball is crazy the way it works sometimes,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said.

The Angels outscored the Rockies 32-12 over the course of the series, and the Rockies’ minus 20-run differential was the second largest in major league history for a team that won a series. In 1897, the Louisville Colonels won a series against the Chicago Colts with a minus-23 run differential.

“I think it’s disappointing,” said Taylor Ward, who doubled in the top of the sixth inning and scored the Angels’ first run. “We should have definitely done a better job and won more games here. I hope that fires us up and we take that into tomorrow.”

Colorado starter Austin Gomber checked the Angels on five hits in five-plus innings and allowed two runs. He was the first Rockies starter to earn a win in the past 30 games, the longest such drought in the team’s history.

“Gomber threw the ball well,” Nevin said. “We didn’t make much hard contact until really that sixth inning. Then they go their ‘pen and they’ve got some good arms out there.”

Coloado was up 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning when they took advantage of an error to score an unearned run. Reliever Jose Soriano walked Brenton Doyle with two outs and then bounced an attempted pickoff throw that got past first baseman Hunter Renfroe, allowing Doyle to advance to third. Ezequiel Tovar, who homered earlier in the game, then slashed an RBI single to right.

The Angels nearly pulled it out in the ninth. Eduardo Escobar hit a two-out triple off Justin Lawrence and Mickey Moniak followed with an RBI double. After Matt Thaiss was walked intentionally, pinch hitter Luis Rengifo hit a slow roller down the third base line that a charging Ryan McMahon fielded before throwing to first to get Rengifo by a half a step for the game’s final out.

“We’ve had a few comeback victories like that, and I was hoping for one right there and as a team we were, too,” Ward said. “But it shows the fight that we have.”

Tyler Anderson (4-2), who spent the first four years of his career with the Rockies after they drafted him in the first round in 2011, had a solid outing against his former team. He struck out nine in six innings and allowed three runs on four hits, including a home run by Tovar in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave Colorado a 3-0 lead. But he lamented the two walks he gave up. Both led to Colorado runs.

“Pretty much, (Coors Field), it’s like everywhere else, you don’t want to give up free bases because there’s so much outfield out there that singles are doubles and doubles are triples, a lot of balls fall, so free bases just kill you,” Anderson said. “That’s kind of what happened today.”

The Angels broke through for a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Ward doubled off Gomber (5-7) to start the sixth inning, driving a liner that right fielder Nolan Jones momentarily had in his glove only to have it pop out when he crashed into the wall. Shohei Otani followed with a run-scoring triple to the left-center field gap and after Mike Trout was hit by a pitch, Ohtani scored on Brandon Drury’s sacrifice fly.

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​ Orange County Register 

Sparks’ Nneka Ogwumike shows All-Star form in victory

• June 25, 2023

LOS ANGELES — On the day she was named a WNBA All-Star starter for the second consecutive season, Nneka Ogwumike had a season-high 27 points and 12 rebounds and the Sparks rallied from down 11 points late in the third quarter to beat the Dallas Wings, 93-83, on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.

It was Ogwumike’s seventh double-double in the 13 games she has played this season.

The Sparks finished with four players in double figures as forward Dearica Hamby had 17 points, Karlie Samuelson 14 points and Jordin Canada 10 points and nine assists.

The Sparks improved to 7-7 and won their third consecutive game against Dallas, clinching the season series.

Dallas (6-8) was led by guard Arike Ogunbowale who finished with 18 points and eight assists, while Crystal Dangerfield had 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Teaira McCowan finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Natasha Howard had 13 points.

After being down by seven points early in the game, the Sparks seized control with a 13-0 run in the final 2:26 in the first quarter and took a 26-18 lead into the second.

With Hamby’s free throw, the Sparks extended their lead to 12 points, 33-21, with 7:52 left in the second quarter. However, Dallas found success playing two 6-foot-7 post players Kalani Brown and McCowan in the game at the same time. Dallas went on a 10-0 run to pull with 33-31, and later tied the game at 36 on a layup by Ogunbowale with 3:56 to go before halftime.

A corner three by forward Karlie Samuelson gave the Sparks a 39-36 advantage with with 3:47 to go in the first half. The Wings took their first lead of the second quarter, 42-41 on a putback by McCowan with 1:48 to go.

Ogwumike found herself in a one-on-one isolation situation and pulled off a nifty up-and-under move to tie the game at 44 with less than five seconds to go before halftime.

After a back-and-forth start to the second, an and-one and a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions by Dallas point guard Crystal Dangerfield extended the Wings’ lead to 67-57 with 2:59 left in the third quarter. Ogunbowale went 2 of 2 from the free throw and the Sparks trailed 71-60 with 1:56 left in the third.

A 12-2 run over the next two minutes, capped by an and-one by Ogwumike, pulled the Sparks to within two, 71-69 with 48.3 seconds left in the third quarter. The Sparks trailed 73-71 heading into the fourth.

Destanni Henderson’s baseline jumper gave the Sparks their first lead of the fourth quarter, 76-75, with 6:19 left.

From that point, the Sparks closed the game on a 17-8 run to win the game.

Before tipoff, Ogwumike explained how it felt to be named a WNBA All-Starter for the second consecutive season.

“I definitely feel blessed to be still playing this deep into my career and also feeling the way that I’m feeling to put up numbers that helped me become an All-Star and ultimately a starter,” said Ogwumike, 32. “I was already grateful to be named an All-Star the first time it happened.

“I don’t really do it for these things, but it’s teammates that put me in those positions to help me be my best for them, and that also makes things a lot easier for me. I just want to win. I want to do good for my teammates. That’s really what it’s all about, but I’m very grateful to be this deep into my career and still productive.”

Nneka Ogwumike on being named and All-Star Starter for the second consecutive season and wanting to play alongside Aliyah Boston in the 2023 All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Ogwumike also shouted out South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley for preparing all her players for the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/AE9Tpurnks

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 25, 2023

Sparks head coach Curt Miller was also excited to share his reaction to Ogwumike being named a WNBA All-Star for the eighth time. Miller believes Ogwumike is in the midst of what will possibly go down as the best year in her 12-year WNBA career.

“Huge news when we found out over the weekend and so happy for her, and she’ll be the first to say she doesn’t play on the court by herself and it’s a credit to the team, but a third into this WNBA season, arguably the best start to a season in her career, and I’m glad that voters recognized what she’s doing and how she’s the leader of our team, both on and off the court,” Miller said.

LA Sparks head coach Curt Miller on Nneka Ogwumike being named a WNBA All-Star and the importance of trying to win the season series on Sunday against a talented Dallas Wings team. pic.twitter.com/gY8aRkXUBX

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 25, 2023

This week was also a homecoming for Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell, who was a Sparks assistant coach for the past four seasons.

“It’s always good coming back,” Tramell said. “You get to see a lot of people that you built relationships with. I had a great experience here in L.A., and I’m just honored and pleased to be the head coach of the Dallas Wings and coming back and reconnecting with a lot of great people.”

Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell on Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally being named WNBA All-Star Starters. @TrammellCoach also talks about being back in LA and support Natasha Howard’s fiancée on Basketball Wives. #WNBATwitter #WNBA pic.twitter.com/Ehgw8hoX9T

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 25, 2023

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels’ Mike Moustakas happy to join a contender

• June 25, 2023

DENVER — Released by the Reds last January despite the $22 million left on his contract and heading into the 2023 season without a team, 34-year-old Mike Moustakas found himself at a crossroads in his baseball career.

The Colorado Rockies took a chance on the three-time All Star, signing him to a minor-league deal in early March during spring training. He went on to put together a solid campaign, and now for this Southern California native’s career has come full circle. He was traded late Saturday to the Angels to shore up their infield depth and add another big bat to the roster.

“You know, they gave me an opportunity to come back and play Major League Baseball this year, and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” Moustakas said in a tip of the cap to the Rockies organization, which received minor league right-handed pitcher Connor Van Scoyoc in the trade. “Obviously, we didn’t play as well as we should have and wanted to, but that’s a great group of guys that’s going to be a good team in the future.

“That being said, that’s kind of part of the business that we’re in, and I get to come over here, make some new friends and join a contender. It’s exciting, man. We all play this game to win.”

Moustakas batted .270 with seven doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI in 47 games with the Rockies this season. Heading into Sunday’s play, he led the majors with six RBI as a pinch-hitter.

He also adds postseason experience to a club seeking to return to the playoffs, having been a member of the Kansas City Royals team that won a World Series in 2015.

The Royals drafted Moustakas second overall in 2007 from Chatsworth High, which he helped to win two Los Angeles City titles.

“What a great dude, great player,” said Mike Trout, who has known Moustakas since they played together for Team USA  years ago. “I’ve gotten to know him over the years. Just one of those things where you come up through the draft process, then you play with each other, build a friendship and we go our separate ways. Now we’re teammates, so it’s pretty cool.”

A polished defender and accomplished hitter, Moustakas can help the Angels out with spot starts at first base or third base, positions that have been hit by injuries to Anthony Rendon and Gio Urshela. He can also come off the bench as a pinch hitter.

“He’s a veteran,” Trout said. “He has good at bats, plays great defense and he can hit the ball out of the yard. He can help this team for sure.”

RENFROE AT FIRST AGAIN

Angels manager Phil Nevin likes what he has seen so far in the team’s plan to play longtime outfielder Hunter Renfroe at first base, enough to give him a second straight start at the position on Sunday.

Renfroe made just his second career start Saturday at first and turned a nifty double play in addition to having five hits in the Angels’ club-record-breaking 25-1 win over the Rockies.

“Hunter looked like a normal first baseman, actually better,” Nevin said. “Everything he did over there looked very natural and I was wanting to see it again today.”

INJURY UPDATES

Reliever Matt Moore, on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain, felt a little soreness in his pitching arm Sunday, a day after throwing long toss and 15 pitches off the mound in a simulated game.

“He’s going to take a day of not throwing and we’ll see how he is when we get home,” Nevin said. “I wouldn’t call it a setback at all. I just don’t think he’s game-ready after yesterday, but he’s close.”

Nevin said third baseman Anthony Rendon, who is on the 10-day IL with a left wrist contusion, took some swings in the batting cage and fielded grounders in a morning workout. Nevin said with the addition of Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas, who both can play third, there was no need for a rushed return.

“With the moves we’ve made and the depth we have, we have time to make sure this is healed and not to rush anything back,” Nevin said.

WANTZ RECALLED

In a move to get a fresh arm in the bullpen, the Angels optioned left-handed reliever Kolton Ingram  to Triple-A Salt Lake City and recalled right-hander Andrew Wantz. Ingram had pitched two innings in relief of Griffin Canning in the Angels’ big win Saturday night.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

Beyond setting team records for runs scored (25) and hits (28) in a game Saturday night, the Angels reached other historic highs.

Among them, they became the first team in the modern era to score 20 or more runs in the span of two innings, according to OptaSTATS.

They also became the third team in major league history with 23 or more runs through the first four innings of a game. The 1922 Cubs and 1894 Pirates also achieved the feat.

Individually, Eduardo Escobar scored a career-high four runs and tied an American League record for runs scored in a team debut. Mickey Moniak tied a team record with four extra-base hits.

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​ Orange County Register 

Laguna Woods Juneteenth celebration lets freedom, joy ring

• June 25, 2023

A brass trio played Dixieland jazz. A ragtag group of revelers followed, twirling parasols, waving handkerchiefs and dancing to the music, in a traditional New Orleans-style second line parade.

“This is a Juneteenth celebration. This is the feeling of pure happiness. We are free.”

So began the Laguna Woods African American Heritage Club’s third annual celebration of Juneteenth – a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States – in Clubhouse 5 on June 17.

A multicultural crowd of more than 350 came in their finest finery, and a joyous vibe prevailed. All rejoiced together: “We are free.”

Annie McCary, president of the African American Heritage Club, welcomed the guests, and the Black anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” rang through the room. Laguna Woods Mayor Cynthia Conners delivered a welcoming note in praise of liberty and justice, and Bishop Willie Phillips led the crowd in prayer.

More music, dancing and rejoicing followed as the young Soul Sisters Dancers displayed their talent to African rhythms.

Then came the food, sumptuous soul food – chicken, brisket, yams, collard greens, mac ‘n’ cheese and cornbread – prepared by Luscious Jimmy’s Catering.

Doug Starks and his Higherground band rounded out the evening with soul music.

“Music, food and dance are an important part of our culture,” McCary said. “It is part of the total experience of who we are.

“The evening gave us an opportunity to invite other cultures,” she added.

Juneteenth, a combination of June and 19th, marks the day in 1865 when news reached slaves in Galveston, Texas, that they were free – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The day has been celebrated in the Black community for more than a century, and it became a federal holiday in  2021, celebrated on June 19 each year.

Phillips summed up the spirit of the evening. “For me, Juneteenth is a reminder that we tend to waste so much time perpetuating bad, ugly stuff when there’s so much good and beautiful stuff to enjoy,” he said in an email. “When you get right down to the bare bones of it, we people (in general) have more in common than we may want to admit. …

“We had fun, we mingled, we laughed and broke bread and built bridges together. I love you all and there ain’t nothing you can do about that.”

​ Orange County Register 

Doing just ‘one more thing’ can put you on the path to freedom

• June 25, 2023

There is a day we can all celebrate. It’s not a national holiday, and we will have to declare it for ourselves.

It’s called “one more thing” day. It can be declared every day, once a week or once in a while. It is our day for our personal pleasure and triumph. It is a day that leads to freedom and victory over the small, distracting things in our lives.

To get ready, we will have to make a list of those things we’ve meant to do but haven’t. Come on, you know what they are. You may even have made that list before.

Things on the list may be small and in themselves insignificant. They just niggle for our attention and distract us when we are doing more important things. Move that flower pot, write that email, clean out the sock drawer, things like that.

They are like little puffs of air into a balloon. The balloon keeps getting bigger and bigger until it is full and stretched to its limit. Our mind may feel so full of these little undone tasks we don’t even know where to start. That is when we declare a “one more thing” day.

Clear your calendar, make sure you have treats to inspire you throughout the day, and pick one thing from your list and do it. On this day, they don’t have to be in order – just do it.

Taking care of our list one item at a time is like letting the air out of the balloon little by little. When you finish one task, say to yourself, “Just one more thing.”

Steve Jobs made this phrase famous as he introduced new Apple products. He would finish his presentation and then, as he turned away, would turn back and say, “One more thing …” and would introduce his latest innovation.

By taking care of the little distractions in our lives, we find ourselves with more time and energy to devote to what truly matters. Do things in small doses with treats in between, and when you can’t do another thing, simply declare this “one more thing” day is complete.

You may not have gotten all of it done, but you are completely successful, and your mind will recognize that and look forward to your next declared holiday.

Oh, and happy One More Thing Day to you.

The Rev. Linda McNamar is a Laguna Woods Village resident.

​ Orange County Register 

Laguna Hills senior center director warns of scam calls using her name

• June 25, 2023

The director of the Florence Sylvester Senior Center in Laguna Hills is warning seniors about a fraudulent phone call in which the caller uses her name and position to sell Medicare plans.

Director Aimee Roberts sent out an email to around 1,000 people on the center’s email list.

“I wanted to reach out to you personally to let you know I would never call you, nor would any Age Well staff or volunteer call you and ask for any personal information or engage with you to discuss your Medicare choices,” Roberts wrote in the email. Age Well is the company that runs the senior center, at 23721 Moulton Parkway.

The calls make it sound as if  “I’m moonlighting as a Medicare agent trying to get them to change their plans,” Roberts said in a phone interview June 9. She added that the caller mispronounces her first name by putting the emphasis on the first syllable.

“If you do receive any calls of this nature, please ask for the number to return their call and call me directly at 949-380-0155 ext. 21. Or if you prefer not to engage at all, please hang up,” Roberts told seniors in the email.

“People feel impolite to just hang up on someone, and that’s exactly what they need to do,” Roberts said later.

The calls came to light when a woman told Roberts that she had received three such calls, even though she hung up each time. The woman wrote down all three numbers, and Roberts called each one. One of the calls went straight to a music loop, and the other two were disconnected numbers.

“I take this very, very seriously, because who knows how many people got these calls” using her name, Roberts said.

Roberts said she called the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and a deputy dropped by the senior center and took down the numbers.

However, she was told that there was not much the department could do about the phone calls unless a crime happened, or the caller went to the person’s home. The calls are virtually untraceable, probably coming from Florida or Baja, and spoofing local numbers.

The scam calls can be harmful to those who get them as well as to herself, with the potential to destroy her integrity and credibility, Roberts said.

“The first thing is, I don’t want anyone to fall for it. And using my name is such a deceitful thing to do,” she said.

“People respect what I say, and they’re not worried that I would give them bad information,” she said. “At the end of the day, that’s all I have – my name and the characteristics associated with my name. It’s upsetting.”

Roberts is working with the Sheriff’s Department, the Council on Aging, community partners and local experts to bring a presentation to the senior center on all kinds of fraud and scams, and how to identify them and avoid becoming a victim.

Meanwhile, she reminded seniors in the email: “We do everything we can to protect you and vet all partnerships we associate with very carefully. We do not give out your contact information. Please do not give out your information directly to anyone who may say they are representing Age Well.”

​ Orange County Register 

Tips for growing herbs (you don’t even need a garden)

• June 25, 2023

Culinary herbs are among the easiest plants you can grow. They only need sunlight, water, and well-draining soil with a neutral pH.–

You don’t even need a garden. Many herbs, such as rosemary, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, oregano and mint will grow well in containers. In fact, mints should only be grown in containers, unless you don’t mind a garden takeover.

Related: Don’t have a garden? Grow your plants in containers

To get started, test your soil. Buy a pH test kit online or at your local garden center and follow the instructions. A reading of 7.0 is ideal, but anything between 6.0 and 7.5 is generally acceptable for growing herbs. If the soil tests lower, add garden lime to raise it. If it’s too high, add elemental sulfur to lower it. Follow package directions for dosages and instructions.

If growing herbs in containers, use a potting mix intended for edibles. The package label should include information about its pH level.

Select a site that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. If your garden has sandy or heavy clay soil, incorporate a moderate amount of compost into the top 6-8 inches to stabilize drainage. If the soil is perpetually soggy, remove the top 12-15 inches of soil, then add a 3” layer of crushed stone to the bottom of the hole. Mix some compost with the soil you removed and use the combined medium to refill the hole, creating a mound at the top (it will settle in time).

If you’re using seedlings, whether started indoors or purchased at the nursery, plant them according to the spacing recommendations on their plant tags or seed packet. Some herbs are well-suited for direct sowing into the garden; check seed packs for guidance.

Herbs will not grow well in wet conditions, so allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.

They also taste better when grown without fertilizer. For this reason, don’t overdo the compost when amending the soil to improve drainage. Chervil, summer savory, fennel and lovage are exceptions, as they do benefit from modest fertilizer applications.

Annual herbs complete their life cycles – from seed to senescence, or death – in a single growing season. They include basil, cilantro, dill, chamomile and marjoram.

Perennial herbs, which return for multiple growing seasons, include rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon and oregano.

Biennials, like caraway and parsley, live for two growing seasons, producing only foliage during their first year, then flowers and seeds in their second before dying.

However, if they aren’t hardy enough to survive your winters, you may have to treat some listed perennials as annuals. In my New York garden, that’s usually rosemary, although I have gotten lucky after a few mild winters. Your results may vary.

For the most potent aroma, harvest herbs in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun gets intense.

Use fragrant basil as an ingredient in tomato dishes. Add rosemary to poultry, pork and lamb recipes. Make tea with the tiny daisy-like flowers of chamomile. Add chives to salads and dishes calling for onions. Dill shines in Greek recipes, sour cream dips and with cucumbers. Sage elevates poultry, sausages and stuffings. Thyme complements meat and fish dishes. And parsley will freshen your breath when you chew it.

There are some interesting varieties to seek out, too. Pineapple sage carries the aroma of its namesake fruit, as do cinnamon and lemon basil, and strawberry and apple mint. There’s even a chocolate mint, which is lovely when added to milkshakes or cocktails.

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for The Associated Press.

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​ Orange County Register 

California must prepare for a recession

• June 25, 2023

The U.S. and California economies are headed into a recession later this year, according to Chapman University’s 2023 Economic Update Forecast, delivered June 23 by President Emeritus Jim Doti.

There are four factors causing the slump.

First, despite strong jobs growth of 339,000 nationally in May, it’s slowing compared to a year ago.

“It’s going to continue slowing the rest of the year,” he said. One silver lining is that job growth is at least expected to continue, rather an go negative.

Second, a key measure of money, M2, which basically is checking accounts, is dropping fast.

“The Federal Reserve played the white knight and came to the rescue,” during the COVID doldrums of 2020, he said.

M2 zoomed up 15%, adjusted for inflation, from 2020-22. But the past year, it has dropped 9.5%.

Both the up and down spikes were something the United States hasn’t seen in generations.

“We’ve had nothing like that since World War II,” said Doti.

The record rise in the money supply contributed to inflation peaking at 9.1% a year ago.

Inflation since has dropped to 4% last month.

The drop occurred as the Fed has boosted interest rates from zero to 5.25% over the past year.

That has crimped lending for homes, cars, etc., which in turn contributed to a slowdown in sales.

The third factor is declining housing starts.  Whether or not homes are being constructed can be a key measure of the health of the economy.

By the end of the year, the country will see 1.2 million starts, compared to 1.7 million in 2022, according to Doti.

For perspective, the 1.2 million housing starts is still more than double what it was at the nadir of the Great Recession over a decade ago.

Even so, a decline is a decline.

The fourth factor cited by Doti is a technical change called a “negative interest rate spread,” meaning the 10-year Treasury bond is less than the Federal Funds rate.

Also lurking in the background are factors like the excess savings that Americans put away during the COVID pandemic. According to Doti, Americans had $3 trillion in excess savings by the end of 2021. Those excess savings have since dwindled to $1 trillion by last measure and are expected to be spent by the third quarter of this year.

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In sum, the economy will dip into negative territory in the third quarter this year, with real GDP down as much as 5% from the previous year, before heading back upward.

For California, Doti expects jobs growth to decline sharply from 2022’s robust 5.6% to just 1.3% for 2023. But he also warned of something new: Based on IRS data, those making $200,000 or more are leaving at such a high rate that adjusted gross income for the state has dropped $20 billion since 2018.

Higher-income Californians are taking their money with them: $5.6 billion to Texas, $4.4 billion to Nevada and $3.5 billion to Florida — all with no state income tax, compared to this state’s top 13.3% rate.

As the recession digs in, now is the time to reform the state’s tax system so it doesn’t drive away its major producers and job creators. Now is the time for governments to show fiscal restraint and discipline in negotiations with government unions. And now is the time for elected officials to think long-term, not just until the next election.

​ Orange County Register