Remember Aug 10?

[Lou]

We were 4 games back of the A's. That's right, we've made up NINE games in 3 short weeks.

 

THIS is why some of us don't go apesh*t over losing 3 out of 4 in May or Santiago walking 5 batters in April  

Edited September 1, 2014 by Lou

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I do.  It was my birthday.

 

I wished for the Angels to make a run and finally sack up and win the division.

 

Looks good so far.

[Lou]

Thanks Soto!

 

you should have a birthday every year!

 

(perhaps you should change it to early April)

[Angel Oracle]

Past 3 weeks >>>>>>>>>> seeing hundreds of Pedroia unis and the Red Sox almost sweep the Halos here.

What a difference 3 weeks makes, 15-4 record vs 6-13 A'ths record since then.

[Angelsjunky]

Thanks for the chastisement, oh wise and venerable Lou.

 

But yeah, the season is long and there are ups and downs. By your same logic we should also temper our optimism as, in theory at least, if the Angels can gain 9 games on the A's in 19 games, the A's certainly could take back 6 in 26.

[ten ocho recon scout]

We were 4 games back of the A's. That's right, we've made up NINE games in 3 short weeks.

THIS is why some of us don't go apesh*t over losing 3 out of 4 in May or Santiago walking 5 batters in April

yep

Seems like yesterday i was getting yelled at for trying to stay positive and look big picture. Same as now how im not celebrating this series too much.

Everyones on cloud 9 right now shich is great. And this team earned sceptism the last few years for sure. But some of the panic and depression on here this year has been pretty out there

[stormngt]

I remember falling four games back in April and 5th calls of "season over" was all over the place.

[Angelsjunky]

Well it is hard not to celebrate this series, Ocho - I mean they just completed a four-game sweep of the A's to go 5 games up.

 

Psychologically speaking, it makes sense how people were upset earlier this year (and I had my moments, although generally remained positive about the team as a whole - more bummed out about Hamiljols (...Hamiltoe?). But consider the fact that the Angels were enormously successful from 2002-09, then rather disappointing from 2010-13. Both 2012 and 2013 were especially disappointing as Dipoto had made some big moves to try to turn things around. So people entered 2014 with caution and for a couple months it looked like it would be another season of mediocrity and disappointment.

 

But not even the most optimistic nutswinger would have predicted we'd be 30 games above .500 on September 1st. OK, the most optimistic nutswingers would, but as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

 

On June 3rd the Angels were 30-27 - solid but unspectacular. Since then they've gone 53-26, which is a pace for about 109 wins over a full season. Remarkable.

[Lou]

Thanks for the chastisement, oh wise and venerable Lou.

 

But yeah, the season is long and there are ups and downs. By your same logic we should also temper our optimism as, in theory at least, if the Angels can gain 9 games on the A's in 19 games, the A's certainly could take back 6 in 26.

 

did I chastise you?

 

and just as I didn't go apesh*t in April I haven't arranged a party celebrating our division title

 

 

yet

[ten ocho recon scout]

Youre always balanced AJ. You critique, but you always have well thought out opinions to back it up. Nothing wrong with that at all.

I completely agree. This team has earned its 'lets wait for the wheels to fall off' attitude from the fans. And no way any of us could have seen this coming, IMO

I didnt think wed pass oakland...and am still not totally convinced the standings stay as they are. Thats prob because of how things have gone the last few years. But though i thought oakland was just too good, i still have thought this whole time we were right there with them. This team has just seemed a lot different from the get go this year. That opening seattle series hurt a lot...and don baylor was a bad omen...but i still didnt think a bad series (or any other) was time to panic.

Some people on here hate positive posts. I personally dont care for any post thats not open minded or big pictured. So as much as i roll my eyes ober the 'we suck' threads after losing a close series, i feel the same when i see people gloat over someone we know probably wont pan out having a great series, a la cron early this year (hate to say it).

At any rate, this weekend was awesome. I think the team is hungry and its twofold. We're suddebly super confidant, and oakland is suddenly feeling a ton of pressure.

I dont want to get ahead of myself...but winning it all this year and signing lester in the offseason would be pretty freakin hilareous

[RallyMo]

Thanks for the chastisement, oh wise and venerable Lou.

But yeah, the season is long and there are ups and downs. By your same logic we should also temper our optimism as, in theory at least, if the Angels can gain 9 games on the A's in 19 games, the A's certainly could take back 6 in 26.

The difference, you see, is that he's not declaring the division race to be over. Edited September 1, 2014 by RallyMo

[Ohtaniland]

did I chastise you?

and just as I didn't go apesh*t in April I haven't arranged a party celebrating our division title

yet

We have been in apesh*t mode since 2010. Where have you been?

[ten ocho recon scout]

We have been in apesh*t mode since 2010. Where have you been?

sonce the rally monkey stopped being rhe shit, weve been ape shit.

[Angelsjunky]

Relax, Lou - I'm just elbowing you a bit.

 

Ocho, I think we're of a similar fan temperament, although I might complain a bit more than you.

 

Anyhow, we're at a critical moment. The Angels have a nice, solid lead - but that could be cut in half by a bad series, or it could be extended beyond reach for the A's by a good one. I think once you get to 7-8 games ahead you can breathe easy.

 

And yeah, I agree on Cron. I was surprised he was doing as well as he was (at first), and not at all surprised when he started sucking. I still think he can be a Trumbo-type, maybe a bit better average.

[ten ocho recon scout]

This thread is as good as any to give credit to someone on here we all give a ration of shit too....

Troll daddy

Seriously. Yeah, he likes to poke a stick at the dog in the vage and get us all going, but hes probably been one of the more balanced posters on here through this rollercoaster. If he was here to post this weekend hed probably say 'calm down, lots of baseball left', and he would be correct.

And if we dropped 3 of 4, hed be the first to say 'calm down, lots of baseball left', and he would be correct.

[RallyMo]

Well it is hard not to celebrate this series, Ocho - I mean they just completed a four-game sweep of the A's to go 5 games up.

Psychologically speaking, it makes sense how people were upset earlier this year (and I had my moments, although generally remained positive about the team as a whole - more bummed out about Hamiljols (...Hamiltoe?). But consider the fact that the Angels were enormously successful from 2002-09, then rather disappointing from 2010-13. Both 2012 and 2013 were especially disappointing as Dipoto had made some big moves to try to turn things around. So people entered 2014 with caution and for a couple months it looked like it would be another season of mediocrity and disappointment.

But not even the most optimistic nutswinger would have predicted we'd be 30 games above .500 on September 1st. OK, the most optimistic nutswingers would, but as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

On June 3rd the Angels were 30-27 - solid but unspectacular. Since then they've gone 53-26, which is a pace for about 109 wins over a full season. Remarkable.

I thoroughly believed in April that if the bullpen could be addressed, this team could be very good. It made me upset to think that they might not get it done, but I also believed that they could.

It's pretty clear that I am both smarter than you and a better fan. I think you could benefit from some fan guidance from me. I'll set up an online course.

[ten ocho recon scout]

I think cron can still be a decent player. I just gave up any hope of it being this year. And to be fair, its not a huge deal. He wasnt 'expected' to be a big piece this year anyway

[RallyMo]

I believed that we'd be 40 over .500 by now, but Scioscia is clearly holding us back. FIRE SCIOSCIA!

[Blarg]

This thread is as good as any to give credit to someone on here we all give a ration of shit too....

Troll daddy

Seriously. Yeah, he likes to poke a stick at the dog in the vage and get us all going, but hes probably been one of the more balanced posters on here through this rollercoaster. If he was here to post this weekend hed probably say 'calm down, lots of baseball left', and he would be correct.

And if we dropped 3 of 4, hed be the first to say 'calm down, lots of baseball left', and he would be correct.

 

Then he would say the Angels should trade Trout for Harper and blow all of his credibility.

[Angel Oracle]

The next 3 games will go a long way towards determining if it will still be a close race. We have Houston for two and Minnesota for one while the A'ths host Seattle for 3.

If the A's end up losing that series, the free fall may be in progress.

Gray has already likely reached his career high for innings. Kazmir has exceeded his since 2007. Hammel is meh. Lester and Samardzjia are the constants.

But that offense is in full retreat mode, although that could change any time. But right now there is no swagger whatsoever, that left for Fenway.

[Blarg]

Remember August 11th? The Angels had a day off, it was boring.

 

The Angels have a day off today on a national holiday.

 

The MLB scheduler sucks.

[fan_since79]

At least we have the Oakland/Seattle game to follow. It's a day game, with huge implications of course.

[Blarg]

The Angels were 4 games back August 10th. The Mariners are 5 games back of Oakland on September 1st. Playing leapfrog is fun especially when the team is green.

[Angel Oracle]

One heck of a WC battle is shaping up.

And then there is the AL Central, where no one seems to want to win it, both KC and Detroit struggling lately and now allowing Cleveland to suddenly be just 3.5 games back.

[Oz27]

The A's have been in a funk for long enough now that I don't know what to think of it. The optimist in me wants to say that it's because they're not that good, but I still really fear them catching fire again. If you'd told me at the start of the season we'd be five games up and Texas would be eliminated on September 1, I'd have thought you were dreaming. But still, I'll hold off popping the champagne corks for now.