1. Bye bye, Jeff! And safe travels, Mickey!
Within six months of assuming the helm of the Angels' front office, Jerry Dipoto traded Jeff Mathis to the Blue Jays for Brad Mills and axed hitting coach Mickey Hatcher after a disappointing start to the 2012 season. These moves were a direct message to manager Mike Scioscia: I run this team, and I decide which toys you get to use. It was the Hatcher canning, though, that irked Scioscia the most. A guy normally known for his close-to-the-vest strategy of media interaction, Scioscia has been an open book (stuck on the same page, ironically) regarding the topic of his friend and former teammate getting the ax.