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This is some bonus content. Since I typically write about politics, but the California Post keeps expanding my scope, I will share some of my non-political musings with you as extra content. If you are not a subscriber, hit the big red button below!
Because there are two columns, I'll preview each below. Also, each one is separately available on our podcast feed, So, Does It Matter? SPOKEN. It is available on your favorite podcast app. You will see those links below, though you can find our channel on your favorite podcast app!
THE FIRST OF TWO COLUMNS…
Dear Stan Kroenke: Win the World Series—and Orange County
My latest California Post column is an open letter to the new owner of the Angels — and a challenge to rebuild more than a baseball team.
Stan Kroenke is reportedly paying more than the record $3.9 billion recently paid for the San Diego Padres.
Financially, he bought high.
In baseball terms? Very low.
The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014. They have not posted a winning record since 2015. They somehow employed Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani together for six seasons without making the playoffs.
Changing owners gives Angels fans hope. But hope is not a plan.
Kroenke knows how to build winners. His sports empire has collected championships in football, basketball, hockey, soccer and lacrosse.
Baseball is the missing piece.
In my full column, I look at what Kroenke must do to bring the Angels back — from resolving the future of Angel Stadium and embracing Orange County to rebuilding the organization behind the players on the field.
This is not simply about signing an expensive free agent or hiring another manager.
It is about deciding what this franchise represents, where it belongs, and whether every decision will finally be measured against one standard: winning a World Series.
I live in Orange County, but my season tickets are at Dodger Stadium.
Why should baseball fans like me have to drive north to find an organization committed to winning?
That is the opportunity in front of the Angels’ new owner.
👉 Read my full column in the California Post HERE [ [link removed] ] (No Paywall)
👉 Listen to my full column HERE [ [link removed] ] on our Podcast Channel.
THE FIRST OF TWO COLUMNS…
Again, this column ran just BEFORE the news broke about the sale of the Angels!
Why the Dodgers Are So Good—and the Angels Are So Bad
My almost-latest California Post column looks at two baseball teams separated by about 30 miles of freeway—and an organizational canyon.
The Dodgers are chasing a third consecutive World Series championship.
The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014.
That is a remarkable gap, especially when you consider that the Angels once had Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the same roster for six seasons.
Two generational talents.
Zero postseason appearances together.
The standings tell us what happened. They do not fully explain why.
In my full column, I look beyond the win-loss records at the very different ways these franchises have approached rosters, pitching, spending, leadership, and their fans.
One organization surrounds its stars with everything they need to win.
The other turned having Mike Trout into an indictment of the entire franchise.
And because this is California, Sacramento looked at everything wrong with the Angels and found something it could fix.
The timing of this column turned out to be remarkable. It was published just hours before news broke that Rams owner Stan Kroenke had agreed to buy the Angels.
What began as a comparison between two franchises now reads like a punch list for the new owner.
I also have a personal stake in this.
I live in Orange County.
My season tickets are at Chavez Ravine.
The column explains why.
👉 Read my full column in the California Post HERE [ [link removed] ] (No Paywall)
👉 Listen to my full column HERE [ [link removed] ] on our Podcast Channel.
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