Reggie, Reggie

Our offense has been working really well and Reggie Willits has been a big part of that. When our offense is working it starts at the top. Vlady is great no matter what, but he is really dangerous with guys on base. We need to get runners on in front of him so that he can really do his damage. Reggie has been great getting on base and it has made a huge difference. We know that he won't be able to hit .370 for the season but there are other things he does that help the offense. He really makes the pitchers work. He'll get six or seven pitches each at bat, which helps everyone else in the lineup. It allows the other guys to see more pitches and get a better feel for what the pitcher is doing. It also helps us get into the other team's bullpen earlier and when you do that the chances of winning go up. Garrett Anderson is going to come back and he'll be on the field, but I'm telling you now, don't look for Reggie to come out of the lineup. They'll figure something out because Scioscia is really happy with him. He's a really good situational hitter and that fits in well with Scioscia's philosophy. It wasn't that long ago when the media was on Hatcher because our offense was struggling. We knew we'd come back because we have too many guys with good track records. That's just the way the media is, when things aren't working they have to blame or question somebody and it got blown up. It was definitely unfair to Hatcher. He works hard in the cage throwing to those guys. It's up to the guys to perform. Now all of a sudden he's smarter because we're scoring runs. In reality, he does a good job all the time.

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• LovefromCA said May 22, 2007

  I think Reggie is incredible.. he reminds me a lot of Eckstein from way back when. I love watching him.... he definitely has become one of the most valuable players on the team and I can't wait to see how he does the rest of the season.

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• chonito said May 22, 2007

  We, as fans, really appreciate what Reggie has done for the team and will be very thankful that he be kept in the line up, whether he play LF and Garrett DH(which is preferred by most), or vice a versa. He has all the talents that you can ask for in being the leadoff hitter and all around "pest" and defends the field well. He is a God send in this fan's eyes! By the way John, I nicknamed him "Elvis" on the AngelsWin Board, as he reminds me of the King when he comes up to bat flashing that snarl of his! He does it all the time, probably without even realizing it. You might mention this nickname to him, as he might get a kick out of it.
  Looking forward to continued success in Detroit! Let's kick some kitties' butt! GO ANGELS!!!
  

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  • John_Lackey replied June 01, 2007

    Reggie is a hardworker and it has paid off. He has been great for this team and has really contributed. I haven't noticed the snarl you talk about but I will have to look closer from now on!
• bloodbrother said May 22, 2007

  Reggie really does remind me of Eck. Dude shows great patience at the plate, fouls off the tough pitches, and then gets the bloop hit or seeing eye single, etc. He's really been a huge lift to the offense and has been one of my favorite players to watch. Just absolutely tremendous in the leadoff spot. The offense has improved in more ways than one with Reggie in there because now GMjr, who did a fine job at the leadoff spot early on, can now bat lower in the lineup into a more run producing role, in which he has done a nice job at as well. Add in the fact that Howie should be coming back sometime this week and the offense suddenly looks pretty good. Napoli seems to be turning the corner as well which would be an even greater lift. With how solid the pitching is, the offense doesn't need to be great. With all that said, tough series coming up against a hot Detroit team. Should be a good series since both Detroit and our Halos are playing very good ball. Good luck tomorrow, John!

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• b0rd3rline said May 22, 2007

  freakin' willits man.. that kid is so fun to watch!!
  
  on another note, what kind of kick do you get out of the team leading the majors in runs scored in the first inning? that must make your job a whole lot easier eh?

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  • John_Lackey replied May 30, 2007

    It sure does. We have been jumping on teams early and it does set the pitcher at ease in some cases, especially on the road. I think we are outscroing opponents by over 30 runs in the first inning.
• laangeslfan said May 22, 2007

  Reggie has been amazing so far, he's totally become our sparkplug.

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• BrianC6234 said May 22, 2007

  Reggie reminds me of a mix of Eckstein and Erstad. That catch he mad when he ran into the wall was just like Erstad. I was at the White Sox game when Erstad came back. I was at the game early and noticed Reggie was out on the field stretching and getting ready. He was really working hard.
  
  As for Mickey Hatcher, his job is a tough one. It's really all behind the scenes. We never really get to see what he does. Maybe on Angels Live they could follow Mickey around a while and show what he does every day. A lot of the Angel hitters were slumping. Hitting coaches probably need a staff just to work with everyone. If you have one guy slumping the coach can help him. How do you help five or six sluping hitters at once?
  
  It looks like Shea Hillenbrand is going to lose a lot of playing time when Garret comes off the DL. Just when he started driving in runs too. I guess this is why the Angels shouldn't have a DH. They have a few players who can fill that role on an off day.

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  • John_Lackey replied May 30, 2007

    Reggie does have a similar work ethic like an Eckstein or an Erstad. His approach as a leadoff hitter has remonded several people about Eck. As far as Mickey, he is in the cage right now working with a few guys. This is going on just after we finished with batting practice on the field. Mickey works his tail off, no question about it.
• andrade13 said May 22, 2007

  Reggie has been a god send to us Halo fans. Good for him. Let's hope that he continues his success throughout the long season. Good luck tomorrow against the Tigers too! They are a really good team.

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• HaloFromVegas said May 22, 2007

  First off John, thanks for engaging so much in these talk-backs. It really provides a great insider's view into the game. Can you share with us how much hazing you guys do to rookies like Willits?

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  • pattimelt replied May 23, 2007

    There was a really nice picture of Reggie dressed up as a girl last year from when they hazed the rooks on the web somewhere. It was a really nice red spaghetti strap shirt they gave him to wear, if I remember correctly.
  • John_Lackey replied May 30, 2007

    We have fun with the rookies, no doubt. We all went through it ourselves so we have to return the favor. It's usually later in the season when the "dress up" days happen. We'll have to see what's in store this season.
• nytmare said May 23, 2007

  I love watching Willits he reminds me of Eck and Ersty, also. Great pitching tonight John!!! You were awesome!!!

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• droppinbombs said May 23, 2007

  According to Mike Scocia in an interview on the Jim Rome show, Reggie Willits lived in his very own batting cage last summer while the rest of his house was being built in rural Oklahoma. No wonder he's raking at a .370 clip.

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  • John_Lackey replied May 30, 2007

    I heard that too - it certainly has translated to the field for him. Maybe I should build a mound at my pad and spend some nights out there.
• thdrmtngrl said May 23, 2007

  He has been more than the fans could ever ask for great for the team and alot of fun to watch

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• BrianC6234 said May 24, 2007

  I didn't see the game today but the Angels lost 12-0. Yuck. And Reggie Willits was out with a hamstring problem. That's a disaster. That kid is the most important part of the lineup. I think I heard Figgins batted leadoff. Why no runs? I know Napoli had the day off so no power at catcher. It's amazing how things can look so bad after one bad game. Reggie is just too important though. I hope Tommy Murphy can find a way to do what Reggie has been doing. Figgins is no leadoff hitter.
  
  As for Ervin Santana, something needs to be done about him and road games. Maybe it's just time to send him back to AAA and bring Joe Saunders back. Let Santana figure things out where it won't hurt the Angels. It's all in his head.

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