This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Los Angeles Angels general manager Tony Reagins stopped in mid-sentence and offered a rueful smile.
"I owe someone a dollar for that," he said.
Reagins mentioned Rancho Cucamonga, momentarily forgetting that the Angels' short-season A team was now Inland Empire. Mistake aside, Reagins, in Salt Lake City for a first-hand view of the Bees, talked about the Angels' minor league system and first-round draft pick C.J. Cron, of the University of Utah.
"There are some holes in the system," he said. "We have players at each level we like that are prospects."
Reagins punctuated his Wednesday with the release of left-handed pitcher Scott Kazmir, someone he had traded for in 2009 and who had given the Angels little in the way of production. Kazmir was 0-5 for Salt Lake with a 17.02 earned-run average.
Unlike Arkansas and Inland Empire, teams that started slow, Salt Lake continues to struggle. With Wednesday's 11-5 loss to Sacramento (43-24), the Bees (28-39) dropped 11 games under .500 for the first time since 2004.
"The style of baseball [the Bees] are playing, I'm really happy with, believe it or not," he said. "The coaching staff is doing a great job preparing the players. The one area they're having issues is pitching. Once they settle down pitching-wise, hopefully, there will be more success."
As for C.J. Cron, Los Angeles loved the All-American's physical tools and emotional make up.
"He was attractive to us because of what he can do," Reagins said. "He can swing the bat with power and he doesn't strike out. He has good plate discipline. Those things we can continue to coach and develop. Hopefully we can get him to big leagues someday."
Once the Angels sign Cron, that is, which they haven't. Once signed, Reagins believes, Cron would play right away before deciding on surgery for a torn right labrum.
"First things first," Reagins said. "We're taking baby steps."
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Storylines: River Cats 11, Bees 5
R Sacramento rips Salt Lake pitching for 21 total runs in the past two games.
• Josh Donaldson has two homers and six RBIs for the River Cats.
• Paul McAnulty knocks in three for the Bees with a home run.