The sky isn't falling.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Everyone needs to chill. As Ken Rosenthal points out, No team in AL is more than 6 1/2 games out in wild-card race.

Thankfully this mess happened at the end of the homestand. New road trip, stronger united team, heading into Texas.

It's clear Pujols supports Sosh, and Trout probably does too. As I said in the Karma thread, it wouldn't surprise me if they play .600 ball the next 60 games.

Let's start with a win tonight, a sweep of the Rangers, and a big July-August-September!

Go Angels!

[IEAngelsfan]

Ok, who hijacked Soto's account?

Kidding aside, I agree. Let's see what happens this weekend.

[NJHalo]

Well said! Worse things have happened to the Angels mid-season.

 

I would rather have a rift in the front office than on the field like the Terry Collins/Mo Vaughn/Percival days.

[nando714]

I got a feeling (much like sosh) that texas is gonna curb stomp us this weekend

[sneaky_flute]

I got a feeling (much like sosh) that texas is gonna curb stomp us this weekend

Texas struggles against LHP so they'll likely lose the series

[Angelsjunky]

I agree, SOTO. The thing is, someone needs to join Trout and Pujols in hitting the ball, especially considering that Albert is inevitably coming back down to earth (.120/.290/.280 in his last 31 PA, or 7 games).

 

Here's a telling stat: After Trout and Pujols, the only player with a positive Offensive Runs is...Alfredo Marte. Check it out.

 

That's just ugly.

 

Now Freese probably isn't getting any better, although he could get hot at some point. I don't think we can expect much more from Gio. Aybar seems to be hitting better now, so he's good. What the Angels really need is something from Calhoun, Iannetta, and Joyce/Cron.

 

Oh yeah, Adam Lind would be nice.

[Ocangelfan]

ya....finally decent positive post.   sick to my stomach reading all the other shit...reminds me of all the laker bashing going with every single caster piling on on the doom and gloom.  

 

if i was another team...i thought this about 2 weeks ago. i wouldn't pitch to mike and albert....not necessarily 4 pitch walks...but pitch around out of the zone to get them off their zones...clearly the others need to step up....its time.  if they don't we are not winning whether we trade or not....too many are not productive and would rather keep our bullets/assets then waste them on bad trades.

 

go angels

[Amazing Larry]

I'm actually very surprised that Mike and Albert get pitched to at all.

[nando714]

Texas struggles against LHP so they'll likely lose the series

Kiss of death

Texas sweeps

[Jason]

I agree, SOTO. The thing is, someone needs to join Trout and Pujols in hitting the ball, especially considering that Albert is inevitably coming back down to earth (.120/.290/.280 in his last 31 PA, or 7 games).

 

Unless this happens, .600 ball is just a fantasy.

[Second Base]

The Angels offense is on life support right now. It needs serious help. With Stoneman at the helm, it's almost guaranteed the Angels will get NO help whatsoever via trade.

Unless Cron, Joyce and Iannetta all start hitting up to their potential, this team won't be good enough to make the playoffs. It's sad too because Angels are one of the few teams that are 1-2 moves away from becoming a top3 team in the AL.

But it's Stoneman/Scioscia. Too conservative, unwilling to change.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Pencil Cron in everyday and give him the confidence to bomb like he did in ST.

Give up on retreads like Joyce. Cron gets on a hot streak and starts hitting 2 and 3 run bombs, we will win more games.

[stevestevens]

I got a feeling (much like sosh) that texas is gonna curb stomp us this weekend

It seems that nando picking us to lose every series is becoming the norm

[robblin17]

Pencil Cron in everyday and give him the confidence to bomb like he did in ST.

Give up on retreads like Joyce. Cron gets on a hot streak and starts hitting 2 and 3 run bombs, we will win more games.

When will people accept the fact that Cron will never be very good? He does not have the makeup to be a successful major league hitter.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

When will people accept the fact that Cron will never be very good? He does not have the makeup to be a successful major league hitter.

He has the ability to be as "bad" as Trumbo. .240 with 30 HRs. If he can hit 17-20 after the break and drive in some runs, he will do his job.

We'd take .230 if he hits a bunch of HRs.

This is looking for the easy fix in our lineup. We aren't bringing in many big bats. We may trade one arm for a hitter.

Don't expect Cron to bunt, hit and run, or take many walks. Let him go up and swing for fences.

Edited July 3, 2015 by SOTO

[mulwin444]

Appreciate the positivity, truly, but the ".600 baseball" won't happen until they start hitting.  I can see Calhoun getting on a hot streak but Freese Ianetta, and Aybar are decent end-of-the-lineup options in a good line-up and are exposed here, Joyce is a 4th outfielder being counted on to start, and Cron, until proven otherwise, is no diffent than Boesch, Krauss, and McAnulty's of the baseball world....AAAA All Stars.  Cron would be lucky at this point to have a Trumbo trajectory...right now, he's basically Trumbo without the walks but the same ability to make a lot of outs.

[Ocangelfan]

when i played fantasy almost twenty years ago...I was always looking to wheel and deal(not a good thing btw) - trading for some decent players hitting and pitching below the career averages...if you are going to win they need to get there.

 

here is a case where if just our slumping players can get there, not career highs, but reach their averages we would have a chance to do something....to be over 500 with them that bad is pretty amazing.  

[robblin17]

He has the ability to be as "bad" as Trumbo. .240 with 30 HRs. If he can hit 17-20 after the break and drive in some runs, he will do his job.

We'd take .230 if he hits a bunch of HRs.

This is looking for the easy fix in our lineup. We aren't bringing in many big bats. We may trade one arm for a hitter.

Don't expect Cron to bunt, hit and run, or take many walks. Let him go up and swing for fences.

 

The last part is exactly why he is a terrible hitter. 

[Ocangelfan]

this year might be different with stoneman...some trades targets were probably in the works with the assistants so possible they get done especially if the one assistant ends up taking over at year end.

 

this year more then any other the holes are so evident my wife can see the solutions.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I think you are all overlooking our rotation, which is pretty good. Skaggs is determined to come back as well.

If they pitch to low 2.00 era through the summer, we can rack up the wins with minimal offense.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Ok... Time to fess up. this is Stradling, logged into Soto's account.

[nando714]

It seems that nando picking us to lose every series is becoming the norm

I didn't say that this past series?

Only time I said it is when we got swept in NY and now this texas series

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

This is why we can still do well.

@MikeDiGiovanna: #Angels won 2 of 3 from #Yankees despite going 0 for 23 with RISP in the three games. They hit 5 HR, pitched well, played good defense.

[Hollyw00d]

This faux positivity makes me sick.

This team isn't going to magically get better because the GM resigned

[Angel Oracle]

Okay, I'm ready to move forward.

Still critiquing, but ready to resume the game being bigger than the off field stuff.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Angel Oracle