Potential Does Not Equal Success

Yes, another sports post......mostly. Let me apologize first and foremost to all you female readers and Cort and Chad. (however, there are 5 tasty surprises for you 3 at the end if you are willing to read all the way to the bottom....no scrolling down though....you got to eat all the cereal before you get to the bottom).

On July 31st, the MLB tradeline will come and go. A few stars will get traded and also a few relief pitchers. Some teams will try and bolster their bench by adding an Xavier Nady (ie New York Yankees), while others will go after middle relief (I'm guessing George Sherill of the Baltimore Orioles will most likely head to the Red Sox). A starter or two will get traded as well (see AJ Burnett and Paul Byrd).

And then, the big names will hit the market (ie Mark Teixeira, Adam Dunn, Miguel Tejada, Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Manny Ramirez).

Dang, I would love to see Manny doing this pose against someone else besides the Angels for once!

Most likely only one or two of these names will get dealt but I can guarantee this: The Angels will make no move whatsoever.

Why should they, you ask? They are leading their division by 10 games and have the best record in baseball.

Answer: Because they are becoming the Atlanta Braves right before our very eyes.

Remember said Braves? The team that won division after division. Dominating the NL East for 10+ years. They built their team around pitching and defense. Their three starters for those years (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz) are most likely all 3 headed to the Hall of Fame. And yet, what do they have to show for it? ONE...count it ONE World Series ring.

The Angels organization is awesome. They have mimicked the Braves in every aspect. Building up their farm system through the drafting of numerous pitchers and quality bats. When a veteran leaves or gets injured, they reload through their minor league system. They were recently name the top organization in baseball: they sell out most home games, 3 million plus attend every year, their minor league system has the best prospects, and their pitching and defense is top 3 in baseball......and yet, they have ONE World Series ring to show for it.

Why aren't they more successful, you ask?

Answer: Potential does not equal success.

It's like those dudes you see on the Brigham Young campus: Braided belt, $100 jeans, hair gelled to perfection, and yet no success when it came to the BYU co-eds.

(treat #1)

Sure, they scored the occasional chick but they never came away with a "ring." Because they were full of potential and yet couldn't ever pull the trigger. They had "too many" prospects in their mind, that they couldn't just settle on one. And when they did, it was too late.

John Nash figured this out and he was a schizophrenic. Remember that movie, Beautiful Mind, with Russell Crowe.

(treat #2)

Crowe aka John Nash comes up with his original idea: If everyone goes for the blonde, nobody wins because you end up alienating not only the blonde but her friends and in the end, you are going home alone.

The "braided belts" of BYU never figure this out. They think their potential will get them the blonde and yet in reality, they end up dancing with each other on the dance floor as the blonde slips out with someone else.

(treat #3)

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are the "braided belts" of BYU. They are the team with the $100 jeans (see Vlad Guerrero and Torri Hunter). They are the team with the slicked back hair (see Jared Weaver). And thus they are the team with only potential and no success.

I am pleading with the Angels GM Tony Reagins and Mike Scioscia. Make a move! Shed the belt. Put on some shorts. Mess up your hair. Match your potential for once and trade some of those prospects because that's all they are.

Afterall, which of the following 2 people would you rather have on your team? (except for you Cort)

(treats #4 and #5)

That's what I thought....