The way I'm choosing to look at things

[WallyWorld]

if you had any hope going into the season that this year would be better than last year, then you can't get too discouraged after 2 games.  To say that last night was just game 164 - and I do sympathize that line of thinking - is to have zero hope for 2014.  It may well be the case, but it's too depressing to think of this already as another wasted season.  Maybe it's putting blinders on somewhat, but for at least the next few weeks, I'm going to hold out hope that this year can still be different.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Unfortunately April is a very bad month for the Angels.

[Jason]

It is just 2 games but the memory of the last few seasons is still real. I think if they start really poor like last year then there will be cause for concern. I don't think they have the pitching staff to dig themselves out of a really big hole. I think they have enough to compete but not to catch up to multiple teams.

[mtangelsfan]

I'm not happy.  Bottom line.  Our hitting looks the same, our pitching looks the same.

 

Right now I'll rest on the fact that it is only two games, but we need these games.  These are games we should be winning.

Edited April 2, 2014 by mtangelsfan

[Fontana Halo]

^{My gripe is the fact that it's the same exact problems that continue to plague the team. It looks like there's no effort to correct anything or lessons being learned. Still piss poor baserunning, mismanagement of the bullpen, management keeps trading away prospects, etc. 2014 - different toilet, same ish}

[Ohtaniland]

I'm not happy. Bottom line. Our hitting looks the same, our pitching looks the same.

Right now I'll rest on the fact that it is only two games, but we need these games. These are games we should be winning.

I agree with this. After a sellout Opening Day loss I saw a lot of post mentioning that "Well,, we were facing King Felix and he was tough". Well folks, Erasmo Ramirez is no King Felix.

[Chuck]

I agree with this. After a sellout Opening Day loss I saw a lot of post mentioning that "Well,, we were facing King Felix and he was tough". Well folks, Erasmo Ramirez is no King Felix.

 

 

Erasmo Ramirez is a very good young pitcher. Underrated. 

[Homebrewer]

Well, we will be facing a guy with 4 ML starts tonight.

That usually works out well.

[T.G.]

The Angels have to beat the teams within their own division... that's the bottom line.  They absolutely have to do this.

[bloodbrother]

I had this team pegged as an 84-86 win team and likely not a playoff team(though they'd contend throughout the year), but I still don't like watching them play like crap

 

mainly, it's the bullpen that I can't stand.

Edited April 2, 2014 by bloodbrother

[jshep]

Well, we will be facing a guy with 4 ML starts tonight.

That usually works out well.

 

At least he's not a soft tossing lefty.

[Ohtaniland]

Erasmo Ramirez is a very good young pitcher. Underrated.

Chuck we had CJ Wilson on the hill. We should have had the upper hand in game 2.

[WallyWorld]

The Angels have to beat the teams within their own division... that's the bottom line.  They absolutely have to do this.

 

No argument.  I'm just saying, for now, I'm going to hold out hope that these first 2 games were not an indication of how they will play all season.  Given recent history, that hope won't hold out too long though.

[WallyWorld]

Chuck we had CJ Wilson on the hill. We should have had the upper hand in game 2.

 

that's baseball though. i agree, they should have had the upper hand last night, but you have to have faith that if we're more talented, it will bear out over 162 games.

[Inside Pitch]

Chuck we had CJ Wilson on the hill. We should have had the upper hand in game 2.

 

You would think so, but the guy on the hill for them had a recent history of dominating the Angels...   Ramirez posted a 1.42 ERA Vs. the Angels the previous year....   In three starts at Anaheim Stadium for his career he's got a 2.37 ERA and 2,45 ERA Vs the Angels overall.  Basically the Angels got to him for 3 runs in 6 innings their first time facing him and it's been downhill since.

Anyone notice when he got into trouble he started going with a change?   I don't care who the Angels hitting coach is -- 95% of them seem to struggle mightily Vs guys with a quality change.

[Stradling]

Chuck we had CJ Wilson on the hill. We should have had the upper hand in game 2.

Absolutely this. I am not going to panic, I will leave that to all of you, but we absolutely should have had the upper hand in last nights game. We haven't even had enough guys on base, yet, to get back to a fun kind of baseball that tries to put pressure on the other team. Hopefully that starts tonight.

[Jim]

Wally World is attempting to add some hope at a time when most are feeling a little hopeless.

 

Where are you guys? You know who you are.

 

With the exception of Chuck, who gave a decent reason why we shouldn't be too upset about getting beat by a good up and coming SP. The guy really does look good.  

 

Yes, we have looked fairly inept these last couple of games, but it has only been two games.

 

Screw the pitching, most of us knew Dipoto didn't fix the bullpen and are we're not really counting on the SP'ing a bunch. But I do believe the hitting will come around in short order. Hopefully tonight. 

 

Win the next two games and we are at .500

 

GO Angels!

[Ohtaniland]

You would think so, but the guy on the hill for them had a recent history of dominating the Angels... Ramirez posted a 1.42 ERA Vs. the Angels the previous year.... In three starts at Anaheim Stadium for his career he's got a 2.37 ERA and 2,45 ERA Vs the Angels overall. Basically the Angels got to him for 3 runs in 6 innings their first time facing him and it's been downhill since.

Anyone notice when he got into trouble he started going with a change? I don't care who the Angels hitting coach is -- 95% of them seem to struggle mightily Vs guys with a quality change.

After a Opening Day home loss to King Felix we trotted out our #2 and he got smoked. That's not how our team should have responded after an opening day ass kicking but it seems like that's how we roll. Not saying that the season is over or anything like that but a team as loaded as ours should be front runners and step on some necks.

[Homebrewer]

Calhoun went 0-4 last night. He really needs to hit in order for this offense to "click"

He's hitting .125 so far, and I'm 0-2 in the predictions thread contest.

I'll pick him most of the season.

[Jimmag]

Over reaction is a built in trait of all fans.

 

Agree. We all need to give it more time. Though it is difficult when our two best pitchers don't get a win in back to back games. 

[Homebrewer]

Over reaction is a built in trait of all fans.

 

Agree. We all need to give it more time. Though it is difficult when our two best pitchers don't get a win in back to back games. 

Against the Mariners, to start the season.

Astros are improved this year too, if for no other reason than their young players have time under their belt.

If we can't beat these teams, the month only gets harder.

Could get real ugly.

[Sciosciapath]

Just be happy the Angels don't have to face Cy Iwakuma

[QuinlansMinion]

We should have at least won one of those games 3-2.  The fact that Seattle scored 18 runs in two games is depressing.  They are garbage offensively.  

[Homebrewer]

Just be happy the Angels don't have to face Cy Iwakuma

They will, oh..... they will.

These are not the Mariners of the last 3-4 seasons. They are a better baseball team now. On paper we should still be kicking their ass, but paper isn't reality, and if this Angels ballclub has trouble handling the Mariners, and the Astros (who have had their number) It is going to be a long season, or a short one depending on how invested you are in seeing this team reach the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.

[tomsred]

I agree with you Homebrewer that the Mariners look to be much better than the past few years, but again it's based on two games.  This organization and team knows the importance of getting off to a good start, it's been hammered on them over and over.  I just hope they haven't put too much pressure on themselves over this issue.  The team we have seen the last two nights looks a lot tighter than the team that breezed through spring training.  Some of the guys outside of the bigger bats are really not responding at all, like Kendrick, Calhoun, Iannetta, Aybar, and Freese.  Pitching wise we have a weak group to start with, if they tighten up that could be a killer.  In my opinion, putting more pressure on this team at the moment is exactly the wrong thing to do, loosen up guys!  Let's see some smiles, and players picking one another up.  Just one win could be worth a lot.

Edited April 2, 2014 by tomsred