Featured autograph - Matt Joyce

Was digging around for this one to add to my all-time Angels collection once Joyce plays a game with the Halos this season - instead of one of these bums the Angels sign off the street, Joyce gives the Angels a capable platoon [he sucks against lefties] bat who can be a semi-regular in case someone gets hurt or doesn't feel like playing on a whim.

Featured autograph - Marc Krauss

If he makes the Angels, he'll fill the valuable role occupied by Brennan Boesch this past season - at the very least, if Krauss does play in one game for the Angels in 2015, I don't have to worry about picking up his autograph for the all-time Angels autograph collection.

Featured autographs - Drew and Sal Butera

As a mini-collection idea, I thought about gathering cards of MLB players who came off the bench as back ups, defensive replacements, or pinch hitters - maybe I wanted recognize certain MLB players' roles as 'working actors' who provided bench strength as opposed to the better known starting players.

As is, maybe I just make mental notes of certain guys that fit this category, whenever I bust a pack of cards or go through loose cards - one of those players is the younger Butera, who has followed in the footsteps of his father Sal as a big league backup catcher.

The elder Butera played in 359 games in parts of nine seasons in the major leagues in the 1980's - he had two stints with the Minnesota Twins and was part of the 1987 Twins World Series champion team.

The younger Butera was drafted by the New York Mets, but started his MLB career with the Twins like his father - before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013.

Collin Cowgill

Is there space for Cowgill on the Angels' roster come Opening Day [?] - I think the narrative of the 'scrappy, hustling' ballplayer is overplayed, but besides the superstar talents, fans like to see those other 'rank and file' guys that typically make up the back end of a roster.

Cowgill fits the mold as a seemingly classic overachiever and a wiry little guy who has the ability to showcase some surprising pop - if he doesn't make the Angels out of spring training, the 27-year old maybe stashed in AAA or move onto a MLB team that isn't looking to contend for anything this season and become a semi-regular.

Latest Angels pick ups

The Angels are gearing up for contention in the American League West by inviting retreads like Ian Stewart, John McDonald, Brennan Boesch, Carlos Pena and Chad Tracy to spring training - it will be amazing if anyone of these players actually make the Opening Day roster and contribute this season, though I can't say the Angels have had much bench strength the past two years, so maybe the team gets lucky with one or two of these guys.

I suppose Boesch has the best potential to stick as he's the youngest at 29 - it seems like the New York Yankees cut bait on him early last year even though in a small sample size, he was slugging .529.