Halo Territory: A Los Angeles Angels Podcast

Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo don't pull any punches when it comes to Yoan Moncada--both think the underachieving third baseman should be designated for assignment. Among their other observations from a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians: Zach Neto may have found his swing, and unheralded rookie right-hander Walbert Urena establish himself as the team's...

Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo break down the weekend series in Toronto, where Jose Soriano's stout 7 2/3 innings and Jo Adell's two homers helped the Angels win Sunday's series finale, and Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom made strong cases for more playing time. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los Angeles Angels insight and analysis year roun...

Sam Blum of The Athletic and Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times join Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna to assess the job performance of Angels GM Perry Minasian, who has been heavily criticized--and rightfully so--for many awful trades and free-agent acquisitions and the shortcomings of a team that has failed to produce a winning record under his leadership. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory...

Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo weigh in on growing speculation that the Angels could deal three-time AL MVP Mike Trout before the trade deadline. The two also break down Zach Neto's slump-busting series against the White Sox, Jose Soriano's sluggish start to May and Josh Lowe's season-long struggles. Buy two months of BlueChew Gold and get the third for FREE with promo code F...

Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo break down the loss of All-Star pitcher Yusei Kikuchi--very possibly for the season--GM Perry Minasian's rose-colored assessment of first-year manager Kurt Suzuki, Zach Neto's extended struggles at the plate and some rare bright spots in a beleaguered Angels bullpen. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los Angeles An...

The Angels are off to a brutal start, but things can always be worse, exhibit A being the $363-million flop that is the New York Mets, who bring MLB's worst record to Anaheim this weekend. Mets beat writer Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to preview the battle of basement dwellers. Calling All Angels: Halo Te...

Legendary music world figure and award-winning bass designer Sterling Ball joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to discuss his 50-year love-hate relationship with the Angels, a force of a franchise from 2002-2014 that has lost its way under owner Arte Moreno. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los Angeles Angels insight and a...

Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo break down a brutal weekend in Kansas City, where erstwhile closer Jordan Romano was designated for assignment, catcher Logan O'Hoppe broke a bone in his left wrist and the Angels absorbed two Sunday gut punches, Jac Caglianone's game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning and Lane Thomas' walk-off three-run homer in the 10th. Calling All Angel...

Sam Blum of The Athletic joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to assess the first month of the season, which has featured Jose Soriano's dominance, Mike Trout's resurgence, Zach Neto's brilliance and the two-way struggles of Nolan Schanuel and Logan O'Hoppe. The trio also debate whether O'Hoppe should be demoted to triple-A. Calling All Angels: Halo Terri...

Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo break open the mailbag to answer a wide variety of questions, ranging from the impact a $3.9-billion sale of the Padres might have on a potential Angels sale, the most memorable games the Halo Territory hosts have been a part of, who Mike's early mentors were at The Los Angeles Times and how Mark felt about the Angels' signing of first baseman Albert Pujols to a 10-...

Former Angels vice president of communications Tim Mead, who spent four decades with the organization, joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to honor Angels great Garret Anderson, one of the most humble and unassuming superstars in recent major league history. Anderson died of a heart attack at age 53 last week. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your n...

In Part 2 of Halo Territory's interview with Tim Salmon, the former Angels slugger and current team broadcaster, talks about the "paralysis-by-analysis" he now sees in the batting cage, his takeaways from his month in uniform as a team advisor in 2023 and the impact of Jose Soriano's top-of-the-zone four-seamer. Salmon also challenges the accuracy of today's radar-gun readings. Calling All Angels:...

Former Angels slugger and current team broadcaster Tim Salmon joins Halo Territory hosts Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo to discuss three-time AL MVP Mike Trout's early season resurgence, shortstop Zach Neto's newfound patience at the plate, how former Angels DH Chili Davis influenced Jo Adell's swing and approach, his concerns about the club's shaky defense and injury plagued bullpen and more. Ca...

Jose Soriano is 4-0 with a major league-best 0.33 ERA after allowing two hits and striking out 10 in seven shutout innings of Sunday's 9-6 win over Reds, and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo believes the budding ace "might be the best pitcher in the game currently." Trumbo, Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and The Athletic's Sam Blum also discuss Sunday's bullpen meltdown, young pitcher George...

Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo break down Jorge Soler vs. Reynaldo Lopez and reflect on the most ferocious baseball fights they've been a part of or seen. They also preview the upcoming series in Cincinnati, discuss the pros and (mostly) cons of the Angels' three-outcome offense and attempt to analyze an interesting Logan O'Hoppe quote. Calling All Angels...

Tyler Kepner joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to illuminate the back story of the die-hard Angels fan who took what "might be the greatest sports photograph you’ll ever see." The Halo Territory crew also discusses Jose Soriano's early season dominance, Chase Silseth's bullpen impact and the new ABS system. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is y...

Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo take you inside Saturday night's game in which right fielder Jo Adell made three home run-robbing catches, including a spectacular leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning of a 1-0 win over the Mariners, a performance Torii Hunter said is “probably the greatest defen...

Former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter joins Halo Territory's Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo to discuss his new job as special assistant to the Angels general manager, which he describes as "trying to be present, to give guys my perspective on finances, relationships, family and baseball." The nine-time Gold Glove Award winner also talks about his greatest catches, Mike Trout moving back to center...

Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and HT contributor Breezy Nowlan explore Jose Soriano's credentials as a budding ace, Logan O'Hoppe's redemptive hit, manager Kurt Suzuki's bullpen usage and third baseman Yoan Moncada's continuing struggles. Nowlan then takes fans on a tour of Angel Stadium's new menu options ahead of Friday night's home opener. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new ho...

Sam Blum of The Athletic joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to discuss the Angels' regular season-opening series split in Houston, where players such as Mike Trout, Zach Neto, Jose Soriano, Jorge Soler, Oswald Peraza and Jordan Romano shined and Logan O'Hoppe and Yoan Moncada did not. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los...

Former Angels shortstop Gary DiSarcina joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna to discuss the current state of affairs in Anaheim, some intel the Angels should have known before signing Anthony Rendon to a $245-million deal, his eventful 1995 and 1999 seasons with the Angels and the unique--and extremely sweet--hobby he has taken up in retirement. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new h...

Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna, former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo and Sam Blum of The Athletic break down the American League West, where the Seattle Mariners are on the rise, the Houston Astros could be in decline and the Athletics could (should?) contend for a wild-card berth. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los Angeles Angels insight and analysis year round...

Mike DiGiovanna and Mark Trumbo break open the mailbag to answer a wide variety of questions, ranging from Arte Moreno's commitment as owner to the battle for the fifth rotation spot, potential draft targets, whether prospects need more seasoning in the minor leagues, the "most fun guys" Mark (and Mike) have played with and how media coverage of the game has changed. Calling All Angels: Halo Terri...

Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo do a deep dive on the ill-advised head-first slide into home plate by Zach Neto, who was lucky to escape serious injury in Saturday's exhibition game. They also discuss Italy's magical WBC run, Robert Stephenson's latest elbow injury, Christian Moore's demotion to the minor leagues, Reid Detmers' rotation/bullpen dilemma and...

The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher joins Halo Territory host Mike DiGiovanna and former Angels slugger Mark Trumbo to discuss the highlights and low points of spring training, a positional battle that could reshape the infield and first-year manager Kurt Suzuki's impact on the club. Calling All Angels: Halo Territory is your new home for in-depth Los Angeles Angels insight and analysis yea...