Frieri is finished as closer!

[Lhalo]

I really don't blame Scioscia. This is the same problem we have had for years. There is no reliable option in that bullpen.

I know DiPoto is well liked because he replaced TR, and shows up at AW events, but how many seasons is he going to fail to address a glaring need? He has no clue what a bullpen is.

I really feel bad for Scioscia when he looks at his bullpen and has to guess who will cause the least amount of damage

 

I don't think there is a soul on this board that wouldn't have pulled Frieri before he gave up the game-tying hit. I understand Scioscia's options are limited but that's an elementary decision. I don't care if Salas's arm was colder than Freese's bat, Scioscia needed to pull get Frieri the hell out of there. He couldn't find the strike zone and his fast ball had zero movement. 

 

It sucks that this team has so much talent yet these games are wasted because of a terrible bullpen and bad managerial decisions.

[mp170.6]

I don't think there is a soul on this board that wouldn't have pulled Frieri before he gave up the game-tying hit. I understand Scioscia's options are limited but that's an elementary decision. I don't care if Salas's arm was colder than Freese's bat, Scioscia needed to pull get Frieri the hell out of there. He couldn't find the strike zone and his fast ball had zero movement. 

 

It sucks that this team has so much talent yet these games are wasted because of a terrible bullpen and bad managerial decisions.

 

This is a familiar problem.  Scioscia doesn't value games in April and May nearly as much as he should.  The "one game at a time" mentality is complete BS. 

 

They can't afford to give away any wins, regardless of the month, as Texas and Oakland are looking good -- again. 

[Brandon]

I was hoping Werth would get walked at 2-0 and Sosh would pull him.

 

I blame the players and hold them accountable for their performances, but I can't defend Sosh on his bullpen management nor Dipoto for constructing it. Looking at Frieri's stats and seeing Sosh say he is still going to trot him out there is the epitome of stupidity.

 

Not the knee jerk type and limiting to just this outing, he simply looks like absolute shit.

[Butcher'd]

I find it funny that we passed on K-Rod for dirt cheap when we knew we needed a closer. I know he chased the money in New York, but who cares? He's a much more established closer than anyone on the roster. Frieri is shit. I can't stand him. He cost us the division in 2011 with those disgraceful performances in Arlington, got hit around last year, and is now quite possibly the worst reliever on the team. Honestly, he might be out of the league in a year. All he has is a straight fastball. No offspeed, no command. Meanwhile, K-Rod is dominating in Milwaukee for 3 fricking million bucks (chump change). How about Balfour who is making 4 million? Oh yeah, he's pitching good too. Both free agents last offseason, both way better than Frieri, both experienced closers. Then there's trading for Salas instead of signing a guy like Chris Capuano. Great going. Dipoto has no clue what he's doing as far as the bullpen goes, and this past offseason hammered that point home.

 

I won't even discuss the Scioscia issue because it's too frustrating for me. I'm over it. Sick and tired of veterans being favored. As someone said, it's happening with Freese and Ibanez already. Green and Jimenez are rotting away in salt lake meanwhile. This is why we're nothing more than a .500 ball club. 

[Tank]

What happened to the secondary pitch Frieri has been working on? Everything seems to be a straight, flat fastball. Whether he continues to close or not, he needs another pitch or this guy isn't going to have much more of a career.

[ScottT]

Relief pitchers are the most unpredictable players.  The really good ones are often vastly overpaid for they contribute to a team.   I don't mind Dipoto's approach to the bullpen.  It isn't unlike the approach the Angels had when they had a good bullpen. The problem is he didn't inherit Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez.   He's tried to get guys like Donnelly and Weber, but has run into some bad luck.   Frieri was a good find, though, and Smith looks great.  Saying he didn't address the bullpen, ignored it, etc... is bull.  

Edited April 24, 2014 by ScottT

[Lhalo]

Looking at Frieri's stats and seeing Sosh say he is still going to trot him out there is the epitome of stupidity.

 

Not the knee jerk type and limiting to just this outing, he simply looks like absolute shit.

 

That's what is mind boggling to me.  He's not a good closer. Why does Sosh still want him in that role?

 

This isn't little league where you're trying to make every player feel happy inside. This is the majors. Frieri simply should not be the Angels closer anymore and Scioscia should know that.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Lawrence

[ScottT]

De La Rosa was a decent find, too.  

[jshep]

Relief pitchers are the most unpredictable players.  The really good ones are often vastly overpaid for they contribute to a team.   I don't mind Dipoto's approach to the bullpen.  It isn't unlike the approach the Angels had when they had a good bullpen. The problem is he didn't inherit Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez.   He's tried to get guys like Donnelly and Weber, but has run into some bad luck.   Frieri was a good find, though, and Smith looks great.  Saying he didn't address the bullpen, ignored it, etc... is bull.  

 

At what point do we stop brushing off everything that's gone wrong for Jerry as "bad luck" and accept that maybe he and his people are just pretty bad at evaluating talent?

 

At this point, the entire bullpen is 100% his doing. And who can we really say we're surprised has struggled? Frieri, and that's pretty much it.

 

It was pretty clear from the get go this was a bad bullpen. It just hasn't hesitated to confirm that.

Edited April 24, 2014 by jshep

[Angel Oracle]

Frieri = Spanish for "I suck!"

Scioscia needs to be fired for sticking with the WORST closer in MLB!

Scioscia has gone the Leonard Tose route!

This franchise is a mess!

Operation Clean Peanut is a farce, a big joke!

Edited April 24, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Butcher'd]

Relief pitchers are the most unpredictable players.  The really good ones are often vastly overpaid for they contribute to a team.   I don't mind Dipoto's approach to the bullpen.  It isn't unlike the approach the Angels had when they had a good bullpen. The problem is he didn't inherit Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez.   He's tried to get guys like Donnelly and Weber, but has run into some bad luck.   Frieri was a good find, though, and Smith looks great.  Saying he didn't address the bullpen, ignored it, etc... is bull.  

 

comedy.

 

You can't seriously believe Dipoto has just "run into some bad luck". It's called poor scouting, and your boy Jerry epitomizes that in the relief department. I'm all about results, and in the last 3 years the results out of the pen have been disgustingly bad. There is no small sample size argument to be made here either. Billy Beane never seems to have a year of "bad luck" from his pen. Why? Because he's a great talent evaluator and can find gems for cheap unlike Jerry. Dipoto's first year he signed Hawkins and Issringhausen...took him until late May to realize that wasn't good enough then he finally traded for Frieri when we were pretty much buried because of our terrible slow start (in large part because of the God Awful pen). Last year he brought in Madson (coming of TJ), and Burnnett (coming off shoulder injury I believe) and expected that to be enough. It wasn't. Shocker. This year he decided to keep Jepsen, trade for Salas, and keep Frieri (proven failure in closer role) at closer. All 3 of those decisions have already cost us a handful of games and it's not even May. His only good move to date has been Joe Smith and maybe DDLR, but we haven't seen enough of him yet.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Butcher'd

[Homebrewer]

That's what is mind boggling to me.  He's not a good closer. Why does Sosh still want him in that role?

 

This isn't little league where you're trying to make every player feel happy inside. This is the majors. Frieri simply should not be the Angels closer anymore and Scioscia should know that.

One of the main reasons for the slow starts the past few seasons, has been Scioscia letting veteran players go through long bad periods, hoping that they will return to something they were in the past. Happens with pitchers and position players. It is one of Scioscia's MO's, it has been forever.

[ScottT]

You are correct.  I do not seriously believe Dipoto "has JUST run into some bad luck".   

[Chimi]

Frieri Stats:  9.35 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 9 runs, 14 hits, 6 HRs, and a wonderful .365 BAA all in only 8.2 innings of work this year.  Apparently Scioscia translates that into allowing Frieri to continue to close games going forward.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Chimi

[jshep]

Frieri Stats:  9.35 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 9 runs, 14 hits, 6 HRs, and a wonderful .365 BAA all in only 8.2 innings of work this year.  Apparently Scioscia translates that into allowing Frieri to continue to close games going forward.

 

It's all upside from here on out!

[moccasin]

Frieri was bad, but why couldn't Scioscia put McDonald at 3rd base for a defensive replacement?

If he made a great play at third, Werth's double would have been a game ending double play.

[nando714]

Everything seems to be clicking (ya injuries have slowed the offense a few games)but Freri

Sucks

[Homebrewer]

Frieri was bad, but why couldn't Scioscia put McDonald at 3rd base for a defensive replacement?

If he made a great play at third, Werth's double would have been a game ending double play.

Freese should NEVER be at 3rd with the game on the line.

Everyone knows that but Scioscia. Frieri is the same story. Everyone knows it but the guy calling the shots.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Homebrewer

[Mark68]

For those of you who blame Dipoto, what the fvck do you think he could have/should have done? Honestly? You can't just throw tons of dollars into the bullpen. There weren't tons of dollars that could have been thrown into the 'pen, anyway. Nor should there be. Successful organizations build their bullpens from within. The Cardinals and Braves didn't go out and "buy saves". They built from within and added pieces that complemented the pieces already there. Dipoto inherited Jepsen, and tried to find pieces elsewhere. All talented, but most not able to perform to their capability... which leads me to... Butcher. He is the one constant (besides Scioscia) since the bullpen has been an issue. What, exactly, is Butcher paid to FVCKING DO?????

Edited April 24, 2014 by Mark68

[bloodbrother]

Frieri is finished as closer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Marsaka]

Pedro Moura â€@pedromoura  2h

Ernesto Frieri's last five outings: 3 2/3 innings, 12 hits, 6 runs, 2 homers, 6/2 SO/BB. Not long for the Angels' closer role.

 

Jeff Fletcher â€@JeffFletcherOCR  2h

#Angels mgr Mike Scioscia said he is not ready to make a change at closer now.

 

 

lol is scioscia waiting for the team to be 10 games out before making necessary changes. 

[bloodbrother]

12 hits in 3 2/3 IP? Good lord

[Marsaka]

Freese should NEVER be at 3rd with the game on the line.

Everyone knows that but Scioscia. Frieri is the same story. Everyone knows it but the guy calling the shots.

 

freese should definitely always be replaced defensively in the 9th - an obvious managerial mistake and sticking with frieri for so long in the 9th inning was another one.  scioscia's dumb decision making has already cost this team at least 4 wins now.  im shocked people still defend him as a good manager.

[HaloNation]

 

Pedro Moura â€@pedromoura  2h

Ernesto Frieri's last five outings: 3 2/3 innings, 12 hits, 6 runs, 2 homers, 6/2 SO/BB. Not long for the Angels' closer role.

 

Jeff Fletcher â€@JeffFletcherOCR  2h

#Angels mgr Mike Scioscia said he is not ready to make a change at closer now.

 

 

lol is scioscia waiting for the team to be 10 games out before making necessary changes. 

 

typical mike scioscia, i hate this man as a manager so bad.....he is the worst of the worst

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

He is seriously too stubborn and prideful for his own good. He has refused to change his managing style and it has absolutely slaughtered this team.