I've never been the one to say this..

[AZMike]

You can't blame any one single event, it's been a combination of blunders that have emptied our farm system from the Haren trade, Greinke trade, Frieri trade, and Morales trade. All of our assets gone and we only have Jason Vargas and Frieri to show for it. Yuck.

Haren trade was pretty bad in retrospect to both clubs. DBacks made the playoffs in '11 but lacked the elite rotation to win it all. Angels didn't see the playoffs the whole time Haren was with the team. I was one who thought we should've gone through a mini rebuild cycle after 2009.

Greinke trade was a panic move directly resulting from being "all in" with Albert. With Haren underperforming and CJ starting to get bone spur issues a postseason rotation of (Weaver, ?) wasn't going to get us past the first round of the playoffs. At the time we got Greinke I thought we were for sure going to get at least a wildcard and an outside chance at the division win so it made sense considering the urgency of the window to win.

If we were going to trade Segura getting a #4, #5 type in a trade who was under contract for a while instead of a rental might've been wiser if getting guys like Blanton was our plan b if we got out bid on Greinke.

[EDinTUSTIN]

This could be a disaster if things don't get figured out soon. I'm still very optimistic that this team makes the playoffs but things have to change very soon. 

 

We're in an absolute win now type situation. Hamilton and Pujols have a 2-3 year window before they start declining. If we finish under or near .500 this year, the whole roster could blow up. We don't have the luxury of having an even semi good farm system to be able to just rebuild or restock the roster so things need to start settling in place now.

 

Dipoto did a piss poor job of getting this bullpen fixed the past 2 off seasons. The Frieri trade and Burnett/Madson signings were great but this bullpen needed more than that. Relying on Downs after his horrible 2nd half last year and Jepsen, who has been inconsistent his whole career, was dumb. He could've made several low risk signings to give this pen depth and a chance for someone to emerge, just like the Rays have done for years. We're at the point where Dane freaking De La Rosa was going to be used in a 1 run game yesterday. 

 

The Blanton signing sucked, no doubt. His peripherals are fine and dandy but when you're letting HR up at his rate, you can throw those out the window. The Vargas and Hanson deals were perfectly acceptable but relying on those 2 and Blanton to be in a rotation with Weaver and his injury/velocity concerns and CJ's subpar performance last year was way too risky. There had to be better options available. What made these moves even more concerning was that he made no other signings for insurance. None. 

 

Like I said, I'm trying to remain optimistic but there are obviously some huge red flags now. The starters look horrible, the bullpen looks bad, and the offense hasn't clicked at all yet. Things need to get going NOW. 

Madson has not even pitched yet, and may not now until the ASB. That hardly qualifies as a good signing - at least not yet.

[Brent Maguire]

Madson has not even pitched yet, and may not now until the ASB. That hardly qualifies as a good signing - at least not yet.

For what he signed for, it's a good signing. Obviously, he hasn't pitched yet but getting a pitcher of his quality at the price is a bargain. 

 

You have a point, though. I think he absolutely helps this bullpen out in whatever amount of time he pitches. 

[Angel Oracle]

Time for a Halos Hall of Shame?

Charter members to include Tony "J. Pierpont Finch" Reagins, Arte Steinbrenner, Mike "lost without Maddon and Black" Scioscia, and Mike "I can't fix pitchers" Butcher.

I hope Dipoto isn't making those moves to get himself included in that group.

[AZMike]

Time for a Halos Hall of Shame?

Charter members to include Tony "J. Pierpont Finch" Reagins, Arte Steinbrenner, Mike "lost without Maddon and Black" Scioscia, and Mike "I can't fix pitchers" Butcher.

I hope Dipoto isn't making those moves to get himself included in that group.

 

Mickey "the Hacker" Hatcher should be in there somehow, and depending on how far back you want to go, Bavasi 

[fan_since79]

Mike "I can walk to the mound with the best of them" Butcher.

[Docwaukee]

A bunch of no-names are once again playing great baseball in Oakland. Who the heck is Nate Freiman?!

 

I've given up trying to figure out how to assemble a winning baseball team. On paper, we should be lights out. I have no idea how to turn this crew into winners.

on paper we win games if the offense does their job.  far from a light out staff from the very beginning.  We need the pen to not turn 2 and three run games into insurmountable deficits.  The SPs are what they are.  Over the long haul, we will see that.  A 4.5era and lots of baserunners.  We are averaging 3.5 runs per game. That's not how it was drawn up. 

[Tyler]

A bunch of no-names are once again playing great baseball in Oakland. Who the heck is Nate Freiman?!

 

I've given up trying to figure out how to assemble a winning baseball team. On paper, we should be lights out. I have no idea how to turn this crew into winners.

 

Yeah, their starting pitchers give their team a chance.

[Hoops McCann]

Dipoto has to assume some blame for the poor starting pitching that has been assembled.

 

I dont understand why Blanton was signed and not Kyle Lohse (for example)...also think CJ Wilson wasnt all that great of a signing.  Way too much $$ for a good SP...not great, although he was given Ace money.

[gurn67]

I know Blanton and the bullpen are todays pinatas, but going into today, the team was hitting .136 with RISP. After an 0-5 today .129.

[AZMike]

I know Blanton and the bullpen are todays pinatas, but going into today, the team was hitting .136 with RISP. After an 0-5 today .129.

Before the last two Houston games that was .108

[WestistheBest]

This could be a disaster if things don't get figured out soon. I'm still very optimistic that this team makes the playoffs but things have to change very soon. 

 

We're in an absolute win now type situation. Hamilton and Pujols have a 2-3 year window before they start declining. If we finish under or near .500 this year, the whole roster could blow up. We don't have the luxury of having an even semi good farm system to be able to just rebuild or restock the roster so things need to start settling in place now.

 

Dipoto did a piss poor job of getting this bullpen fixed the past 2 off seasons. The Frieri trade and Burnett/Madson signings were great but this bullpen needed more than that. Relying on Downs after his horrible 2nd half last year and Jepsen, who has been inconsistent his whole career, was dumb. He could've made several low risk signings to give this pen depth and a chance for someone to emerge, just like the Rays have done for years. We're at the point where Dane freaking De La Rosa was going to be used in a 1 run game yesterday. 

 

The Blanton signing sucked, no doubt. His peripherals are fine and dandy but when you're letting HR up at his rate, you can throw those out the window. The Vargas and Hanson deals were perfectly acceptable but relying on those 2 and Blanton to be in a rotation with Weaver and his injury/velocity concerns and CJ's subpar performance last year was way too risky. There had to be better options available. What made these moves even more concerning was that he made no other signings for insurance. None. 

 

Like I said, I'm trying to remain optimistic but there are obviously some huge red flags now. The starters look horrible, the bullpen looks bad, and the offense hasn't clicked at all yet. Things need to get going NOW. 

THIS. 

[ELEVEN]

Correia is bad too.

North Correia is bad, but South Correia is still our ally.

[bloodbrother]

I know Blanton and the bullpen are todays pinatas, but going into today, the team was hitting .136 with RISP. After an 0-5 today .129.

 

Still hard to believe a team can be THAT BAD with RISP.

[AngelsLakersFan]

In his interview with AngelsWin Dipoto mentioned that Blanton had [among the] highest innings pitched, and the highest flyball ratio of pitchers on the free agent market. I can understand that reasoning to justify taking a cheap one year flyer but couldn't fathom why Blanton was able to land a 2 year $15M deal. 

 

This was my reasoning at the time as well. I didn't mind the signing of Blanton, but the two years was questionable. It was like DiPoto was giving him what he THOUGHT we would be worth, not what he actually was worth.

 

At that price DiPoto has lost the upside and when you pay for the upside that means you are really just adding on additional risk.

[VariousCrap]

I know Blanton and the bullpen are todays pinatas, but going into today, the team was hitting .136 with RISP. After an 0-5 today .129.

 

 

Wow...that speaks volumes.  You have no shot at winning games if you can't score.