it's time

[Stradling]

I would not be at all surprised if we traded for two offensive pieces this year if the pitching continues to perform.

[Inside Pitch]

What truly causes a 34 game team hitting slump?

Most of the players gripping the bat too hard, and trying to make too much happen?

The AL West pitching ain't THAT good, and neither is the Rockies staff.

 

Oh?  http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/year/2015/seasontype/2/league/al

 

The top four ERA guys in the AL are in the AL West, we have faced each of them at least twice.   The number 6 guy is in the AL West, we have faced him too.   All told 9 of the top 20 ERAs reside in the AL West.  Take the home parks, the pitchers, the desire to get off to a good start, and put it all together..   Is it really that hard to think maybe they have been pressing?

 

LOL..  even better, they get to face two more guys in the top 20 this weekend, and Angel killer Bud Norris...   When it rains, it pours..

Edited May 14, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[ten ocho recon scout]

It's been almost 25% of the season, is it really fair to still call this offense a "slump"?

Pujols is another year older, another year worse. Aybar is having another one of his off seasons and isn't getting any younger. Cron is continuing his run of mediocrity in the bigs, and Iannetta looks to be pretty much washed up (at least Perez seems to be ready). Rinse and repeat with Freese, Joyce, etc. I don't expect Pujols to hit .240, Freese to hit .210 and Joyce to hit .140 for the rest of the year but they sure haven't shown much progress either.

I guess it wasn't fair to expect Joyce and Iannetta to be THIS bad, but basically every position player on the team is doing worse (most MUCH worse) than last year barring the usual standouts of Calhoun and Trout. This on top of the fact that we don't steal bags and also have the lowest SLG and OBP in the AL by a pretty wide margin, and you can see why we are one of the most boring teams in the league to watch. Given our offensive performance thus far, I can't believe we are actually a .500 team.

The irony is that in a fire the coach because of the performance of the players post (not yours, the op) is mentioning that the team has done ok because of the pitching....

....and butcher is sleeping like a baby

[Angel Oracle]

"It's Vader time!"

[Angel Oracle]

I can see what you are saying IP.

Why then is Oakland 3rd in runs scored and 6th in OPS, and Houston 7th in runs scored and 9th in OPS?

Have their schedules been that much easier with regards to opposing pitchers faced?

[Guest]

I still don't understand why many people were gung-ho to fire Hatcher but are lenient with Baylor.

MVP with angels > friend of Scioscia from the dodgers

[vlad27]

I think the fact that pujols is hitting third and freese is hitting fourth is a bigger issue than baylor.

agreed - plus terrible batting average from most players with the exception of trout , Calhoun and giovatella

[nando714]

"It's Vader time!"

Yes w/ jim cornette

[Hollyw00d]

Nobody aside from trout and G is getting on base. Its really hard to score runs without actually getting runners on

[Hollyw00d]

The killer trio of iannetta, Joyce, and cron has easily go to be the worst in the league

Outside of a couple good games, freeze has sucked too.

[Stradling]

The killer trio of iannetta, Joyce, and cron has easily go to be the worst in the league

Outside of a couple good games, freeze has sucked too.

At least a few of those guys have track records so and they aren't too old, so it is entirely possible they could bounce back.

[Docwaukee]

Oh?  http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/year/2015/seasontype/2/league/al

 

The top four ERA guys in the AL are in the AL West, we have faced each of them at least twice.   The number 6 guy is in the AL West, we have faced him too.   All told 9 of the top 20 ERAs reside in the AL West.  Take the home parks, the pitchers, the desire to get off to a good start, and put it all together..   Is it really that hard to think maybe they have been pressing?

 

LOL..  even better, they get to face two more guys in the top 20 this weekend, and Angel killer Bud Norris...   When it rains, it pours..

maybe these guys lead the league in ERA because they have faced the Angels dreadful offense. 

[eligrba]

I hope CJ Wilson continues to do well so he can be traded for some offense.

[tdawg87]

maybe these guys lead the league in ERA because they have faced the Angels dreadful offense. 

 

Nick Martinez is really the only one you can make a case for. 2.70 ERA against everyone else he has faced (still very good, but not top 4 good), 0.00 ERA against the Halos.

[Inside Pitch]

I can see what you are saying IP.

Why then is Oakland 3rd in runs scored and 6th in OPS, and Houston 7th in runs scored and 9th in OPS?

Have their schedules been that much easier with regards to opposing pitchers faced?

 

 

You may want to compare how the A's  have fared .vs the pitchers I mentioned, I haven't so maybe you're on to something. 

 

Also If you look at their schedule you'll see they scored 30 runs in three games early on against the likes of Detwiler, Walker, and Gallardo.   Looks like they had another huge day Vs. Masterson. That's 24% of their run total in four games .vs some questionable pitching.  FTW, despite their run totals, the A's are sporting a team OPS+ of 100, a world better than our 82 but not the world beaters the counting stats would have you believe.

 

As far as the Astros go, they don't play in a pitcher's park and they missed Gray when they faced Oakland.  Missed Nick Martinez when they played Texas.  Missed Felix when they have faced the Mariners.   Thats 6 starts against guys with ERA's below 1.88 they have managed to miss.   So far in May they have hit .199 as a team and overall their team OPS+ is 96.  

 

Look, Im not trying to make excuses for the Angels... the offense has been awful (Ianetta's negative OPS+), but they've not had it easy either...  a case can be made they have been unlucky as well (BABIP).  You've been watching these dinks long enough to know they are prone to some really awful starts.  

Edited May 15, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[Inside Pitch]

maybe these guys lead the league in ERA because they have faced the Angels dreadful offense. 

 

Do you believe it will continue to be a dreadful offense?   That team wide .268 BABIP screams fluke.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I don't see it lasting for an entire season.