Maddon virtually hosts Angels Scholars

Angels manager Joe Maddon spent nearly two hours interacting with the organization’s Angels Scholars Award winners via Zoom on Wednesday and called it a rewarding experience.

The program was created in 2016 and awards students from Orange County and the Los Angeles area a four-year renewable scholarship. Students are interviewed and accepted based on merit, leadership and strong academic performance. The program focuses on fostering a positive and supportive relationship between scholars and the Angels Baseball Foundation to help them achieve their career and long-term goals.

Maddon answered all types of questions about baseball, education, life experiences and leadership from the students and came away impressed. The Angels Scholars on the Zoom call were Adrian Diaz (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Anastasia Poponina (UC Irvine), Anthony Patino (UC Irvine), Caroline Mendoza (UCLA), Kelly Nguyen (UC San Diego), Megan Huynh (UC Irvine), Nathan Kuhn (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Rafael Bermudez (Lehigh University) and Thien Vo (Cal State Fullerton).

“It was great,” Maddon said. “That’s a really engaging, bright group. Awesome questions. I'm always amazed at the poise and the academic brightness of this group. I don't think I was anywhere near that [level] at that age, to be able to handle myself that well and have those kind of thoughts."

Maddon shared some of what he calls his own personal truths and said that he believes work ethic and accountability are the two most important traits in order to succeed. The skipper said he didn’t come from a privileged background as the son of a plumber in the coal-mining town of Hazleton, Pa., and he stressed that he had to outwork others to eventually reach the Minor Leagues and then begin his coaching career. But he told the students to keep an open mind and read as much as possible, as he believes a broad-based education is best.

It was the second time that Maddon hosted a Zoom event with Angels Scholars and he plans to be more active going forward. He’d like to see his players get involved, as well, and try to reach even more students.

"I want to continue to do it, and as we move it forward, I want to get some of our players involved," Maddon said. "Zoom is a perfect platform where we can do it from our hotel room, especially on the road. Next year, if we get back to normal patterns, where people are in school during the baseball season, we could hook up with them at that point. If it's a player, a coach or a manager, there is a connection for the rest of their lives from the group."

Angels celebrate Roberto Clemente Day
Angels players wore a patch to commemorate Roberto Clemente Day on Wednesday, while first-base coach José Molina was allowed to wear No. 21 to honor Clemente as a fellow Puerto Rican. Molina, who played in the Majors for 15 seasons from 1999-2014, said Clemente has always been one of his heroes and he believes Clemente's No. 21 should be retired by Major League Baseball, just like Jackie Robinson's No. 42.

Clemente was one of the game's first Latino stars and reached exactly 3,000 hits in a storied 18-year career with the Pirates before his untimely death on Dec. 31, 1972, in a plane crash en route to Nicaragua to deliver supplies after an earthquake.

"Everybody knows he's probably the best Puerto Rican player ever and people look up to him for what he did on the field, but I like to look at what he did off the field," Molina said. "He was a humble guy, a guy who liked to give to people. That's one of the things I take from him. He just liked to share everything and help others. I don’t think anybody should wear that number again, but it’s not up to me.”

Upton, Fletcher progressing
Left fielder Justin Upton was held out of the lineup on Wednesday with a bruised left hand after being hit in the same area by two different fastballs from Lance Lynn on Tuesday. He remains day to day and he could return to the lineup soon.

Second baseman David Fletcher (sprained left ankle) is eligible to be activated from the injured list on Thursday and underwent drills before Wednesday’s game to see if he’ll be ready. He appears likely to be reinstated, but the Angels want to do their due diligence.

“There’s nothing new with J-Up. He’s doing pretty good,” Maddon said. “I think he’s progressing well quickly. And Fletch, we’ll know more as he goes out for BP. We’ll see how he moves around today and then make a decision."