Angels Last Week-A Delicate Balance

[JoJo26]

Six games vs. OAKLAND & SEATTLE - who are battling each other for the right to play...the ANGELS!

 

How does the team play this? Try to knock out the A's to help Seattle? Then try to knock out The M's to help Oakland? Rest starters? Start AAA guys? 

 

REACTION.

[Blarg]

They try to win games to secure home field advantage and not care who gets into the playoffs.

[Ohtaniland]

[tomsred]

End of thread.  Play to win, help players avoid injuries. Done.

[Slegnaac]

Do not over use the relievers that are on your ALDS roster.

[Brandon]

Win and play the regulars so they hopefully go in hot.

I think HFA in baseball is about worthless, but it would be nice to have.

[Hollyw00d]

The number one priority should be making a plan to kidnap Felix Hernandez from the mariners

[Jeff Fletcher]

I keep saying this but people don't seem to listen...

The main advantage to getting the best record is not HFA in the ALCS. It's playing the wild card team instead of another division winner that's already had 3 days to rest it's starters and line them up.

To me, that's a big deal.

It'll be interesting to see what happens on that last day. It could benefit the Angels to lose if that forces Seattle into a game 163 somewhere. If the Angels gets a team that has had to play game 163 on Monday and the WC on Tuesday, that's the best case scenario.

Of course if the mariners need to win that game Felix Hernandez will pitch so the Angels may not have to try very hard to lose.

[Troll Daddy]

I keep saying this but people don't seem to listen...

The main advantage to getting the best record is not HFA in the ALCS. It's playing the wild card team instead of another division winner that's already had 3 days to rest it's starters and line them up.

To me, that's a big deal.

It'll be interesting to see what happens on that last day. It could benefit the Angels to lose if that forces Seattle into a game 163 somewhere. If the Angels gets a team that has had to play game 163 on Monday and the WC on Tuesday, that's the best case scenario.

Of course if the mariners need to win that game Felix Hernandez will pitch so the Angels may not have to try very hard to lose.

Are you suggesting to throw a game because you're afraid to face the A!s?

[disarcina]

I think we play 'em both tough until the wild card spot is decided and also until the best record (us vs. Orioles) is decided WITHOUT messing up our pitching plans/ rotation.

 

this means UNLESS Scioscia is going to give Weaver a real chance to get that 20th win (which I think has already been decided, extra effort to make that happen is NOT happening) -- our starters go five maybe six inning depending on how the game is going and then we go to the pen for what essentially is a final try out/ tune up for how Sosh will approach the playoff pen situation.

 

our regulars should play but I would not hesitate to sub in some of our fresh guys off the bench early -- McDonald to third to play D about sixth inning......I'd put that Campana guy in to run for someone every game about the 7th and have him finish up in the OF -- and who do we have up from PCL for catching duties?  I'd give some real thought to giving Ianetta and Conger either some time off or having them DH instead of catch (rather than just having them sit the bench) for a game or two........

 

So we play hard, but we appropriately give our players some rest, get our pen playoff ready and give our catchers a little rest from a season's worth of catching..........and give some of our depth bench guys a chance to play to see who, in fact, is going to get that final one or two playoff roster spots for the ALDS...........

[QuinlansMinion]

Were 2 games up in the loss column on Baltimore.  They have 4 in New York and 3 in Toronto.  Hopefully they give up on catching us soon and we can clinch early.  

 

We definitely need to take these last 6 games seriously.  Facing the wild card team instead of Detroit and having HFA over Baltimore is huge.

[bloodbrother]

Are you suggesting to throw a game because you're afraid to face the A!s?

 

Did you read his post? Having a 3-way tie for the wildcard...or at least a tie for the 2nd wildcard is best case scenario for the Halos. It forces a team to have to play an extra game just to secure that 2nd wildcard. IF that team runs the gauntlet and wins that and wins the wildcard game, they'd be heading into their ALDS matchup having burned 2 of their starters already. That would greatly benefit the Halos

[Ohtaniland]

[JoJo26]

Can you imagine this?

 

A's, M's, Royals all tie...so what happens next?

 

Tie-Break game to make it to the play in game to make it to Anaheim? So a team might have to pitch their two best pitchers just to make it to the ALDS?

 

Well...that sounds interesting...

[Taylor]

Can you imagine this?

 

A's, M's, Royals all tie...so what happens next?

 

Tie-Break game to make it to the play in game to make it to Anaheim? So a team might have to pitch their two best pitchers just to make it to the ALDS?

 

Well...that sounds interesting...

 

Whatever happens in that scenario, it's to the Angels' advantage.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Obviously the Angels couldn't throw a game. However, I'm pretty sure they won't be too upset about losing if that's the result.

And the Angels may have Rasmus or LeBlanc starting against Felix that day anyway.

I just think it would be interesting to see a scenario where you have something to gain by losing and nothing to gain by winning.

[CAAngelsLifer]

To those of you who don't think that HFA is a big deal- IT IS.  Jered Weaver! He pitches much better at home. 

[ABC]

Six games vs. OAKLAND & SEATTLE - who are battling each other for the right to play...the ANGELS!

 

How does the team play this? Try to knock out the A's to help Seattle? Then try to knock out The M's to help Oakland? Rest starters? Start AAA guys? 

 

REACTION.

 

Delicate balance? Just play to win. Keep sharp.

[ABC]

I keep saying this but people don't seem to listen...

The main advantage to getting the best record is not HFA in the ALCS. It's playing the wild card team instead of another division winner that's already had 3 days to rest it's starters and line them up.

To me, that's a big deal.

It'll be interesting to see what happens on that last day. It could benefit the Angels to lose if that forces Seattle into a game 163 somewhere. If the Angels gets a team that has had to play game 163 on Monday and the WC on Tuesday, that's the best case scenario.

Of course if the mariners need to win that game Felix Hernandez will pitch so the Angels may not have to try very hard to lose.

 

Why let off the gas? The Angels should play their season out and face whoever it is. Overthinking and changing the way they play can be detrimental. If you're playing for a draft pick ,sure, overthink. Going into the playoffs, their number one challenge is to keep focused and be in playoff form by the first game.

[Guest]

Obviously the Angels couldn't throw a game. However, I'm pretty sure they won't be too upset about losing if that's the result.

And the Angels may have Rasmus or LeBlanc starting against Felix that day anyway.

I just think it would be interesting to see a scenario where you have something to gain by losing and nothing to gain by winning.

 

If Seattle is out of the wild card by 0.5 games on the final day (all other games already over) Angels losing would cause them to end up in a two-way tie for the second wild card. 

 

In a hypothetical scenario where KC has already clinched and OAK has second wild card, I'd much rather tank and force OAK and SEA to play a game 163 just to get into the second wild card. Best case scenario the winner of game 163 would win the wild card and we'd be in a situation of not having to face any of Shark / Lester / Felix / Iwakuma until game 4 of the division series.

Edited September 22, 2014 by ScottLux

[Blarg]

Obviously the Angels couldn't throw a game. However, I'm pretty sure they won't be too upset about losing if that's the result.

And the Angels may have Rasmus or LeBlanc starting against Felix that day anyway.

I just think it would be interesting to see a scenario where you have something to gain by losing and nothing to gain by winning.

all three main wildcard bound teams are 4-6 in their last ten games. There is nothing the Angels can do without intentionally throwing a series to alter their destiny. None seem to be all that competent at controlling their own.

Win home field, beat whoever shows up. Not very complicated.

[Angel Oracle]

Now that the games against also rans are done, the team can feel free to play like they did before clinching the AL West since they are only facing WC contenders. 

Going into the post-season on a downer is not good.

 

That Thursday off day will be a much needed breather, no doubt, after 23 straight days of playing.

Edited September 22, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[floplag]

one goal remains.. well 2...

#1 maintain the best overall record to ensure HFA thru out.  right now were up 2.5 on Bal 2 in the loss column, with 6 to play for us, 7 for them.  They hold the tie breaker on season series 4-2 i think it is so to ensure HFA we need to win one more game than they do this week.

 

i would also like to see the club break that 100 win barrier, to do that we need to win 4 of the 6, which would also mean Bal would have to win out to catch us on HFA.

 

aside from that i would love to see the WC end in the three way tie just for the lulz... but at this point i want Sea and KC to come out of it.  I feel they have earned it, whereas Oak hasnt really with the second half collapse and it would be just like the to back door into the playoffs and get hot

[Ohtaniland]

We have the best record in baseball. We are the odds on favorite to go all the way. We have one of the highest payrolls in MLB. We are where we should be. We don't need to throw games to help reach the goal of winning a championship. If we need to throw games then I question the integrity and the validity of where we are in the standings. We have everything in our favor to go all the way so if we don't some ass's should get fired!

[Jeff Fletcher]

Some of you are taking this way too seriously. I realize the Angels aren't going throw a game. I also realize the circumstance I'm talking about only occurs if there is a perfect sequence of events beyond their control, which means they simply should try to win every game.

It's just fun to think about how weird that scenario might be if it comes to pass, and it won't until the Angels are about 6 innings from the end of their season. (The Oakland and KC games on Sunday will end when the Angels and M's are about in the 3rd inning.)