Is This A Playoff Team

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Can we get there? Probably.

Do I see us even advancing to the ALCS? Barely.

 

That is pretty much what I see: A team that expends everything just to get in, then has nothing left when the trophies are haded out.

[DoubleOffTheWall]

Probably. We have a lot of guys who just aren't very good players and barely decent at best, like:

 

Giavotella

Ianetta

Whoever is in LF

Cron

Salas

Alvarez

 

We need serious upgrades at C and LF, and probably 2B. We need some leadoff in one of those positions and speed, and we need some better 6-7th inning guys.

 

Its not super far off but those are some pretty big holes for this season alone. 

[tomsred]

No, the Astros kicked us in the nuts on and off the field this week

Except the Astros went into the off field part with both pockets full of money (prospects), we didn't have money to burn (prospects).

[Vegas Halo Fan]

No tenemos bastante Rondons.

[Mad5577]

This team will go as far as trout can carry us to.

[YouthofToday]

Stoneman needs to be prepared to add payroll by claiming players off of revocable waivers game. We need more talent.

[Inside Pitch]

Ooooooooh people are gonna jump on you for your quality starts and their "4.50 ERA."

 

Its a weak stat no doubt -- but the ERA is what it is...the sample size is the full season and the innings pitched component of the QS has some merit.  The Angels rotation is second to the CWS in that department..    But I wouldn't mind if someone called me out on bring up QS, it's a crap stat..  Well, it's a poorly named stat currently.  At the same time, most teams would be okay with a number 5 pitcher giving them a guaranteed 6 IP even if he was allowing three runs per game -- the Royals rotation for instance is averaging 5.5 innings per start and a 4.36 ERA.

 

I forget where it is, but someplace is now tracking something called a super quality start or something along those lines that is 7 innings and 2 ER, and I remember Dayn Perry trying to get people on the "dominant start" bandwagon, which as far as I know wasn't being tracked anywhere but in his head and was intended to measure any starts of at least 8 innings and 1 or fewer runs allowed.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[TrumBomb]

Probably. We have a lot of guys who just aren't very good players and barely decent at best, like:

Giavotella

Ianetta

Whoever is in LF

Cron

Salas

Alvarez

We need serious upgrades at C and LF, and probably 2B. We need some leadoff in one of those positions and speed, and we need some better 6-7th inning guys.

Its not super far off but those are some pretty big holes for this season alone.

Am I the only one that thinks Giavotella has done a pretty decent job this year? Guy plays with alot of heart and is always fired up I think he's just fine

[arch stanton]

I still think we'll win the division.

[jsnpritchett]

Am I the only one that thinks Giavotella has done a pretty decent job this year? Guy plays with alot of heart and is always fired up I think he's just fine

He has no business being a leadoff hitter, but that's not his fault, I guess. He's been better than I expected, but still not very good overall. He's had a few clutch hits, but is weak in the field and doesn't get on base enough.

[Angel Oracle]

Too bad Sherman Johnson fizzled out in 2015.

They need to re-sign HK.

[Troll Daddy]

They should easily make the playoffs ... they won't be the best team going into them. They weren't the best team in 2002 either.

Crap shoot

[Ransom Ballard]

Too bad Sherman Johnson fizzled out in 2015.

They need to re-sign HK.

Too late on HK because the Dodgers will resign him in the offseason

[CanadianHalo]

Situational hitting, overall offense, team speed and middle relief. at least in my opinion.

I agree that this is what they needed to fix and my problem is they didn't accomplish any of it.

Murph, Shane o'mac and DeJesus don't bring speed. Do they improve the offense? Sure, but that's because we had Joyce in left who brought absolutely nothing to the table so sure it's an improvement but it lacks the kind of impact we needed imo.

And lastly they failed to acquire a middle reliever. My issue with all of this is that they took the cheap route on a team that was in a good position to make a run. If it wasn't for Kole and Trout last night they would've laid another goose egg on the board. Murphy, Victorino and DeJesus are all nice bench pieces to bring in for late game matchups but that's it.

God do I hope these guys prove me wrong but I just don't see it. It'll be a dog fight till the end with Baltimore and Toronto adding some nice pieces to make a run.

[Stradling]

We should have found a way to add a BP arm. Let's hope Rasmussen will be as good as last season, if so that will help immensely

[bloodbrother]

Hopefully Morin can figure out his issues and return to be helpful as well. Relievers are so annoying. Jeckyl and Hyde

 

Was weird seeing the media applaud the Jays for "improving" their pen by adding LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe...2 dudes who were rejects in this bullpen just a few years ago

Edited August 1, 2015 by bloodbrother

[Stradling]

Yep, it's completely insane the ups and downs of a bullpen arm.

[TroutField]

Too late on HK because the Dodgers will resign him in the offseason

No way the Dodgers re-sign Kendrick. They just got the Braves top prospect, Jose Peraza. They are going to be young and REALLY good up the middle with Peraza, Seager, and Pederson.

[stormngt]

1 in the loss column

We're 2GB with 60 to play...

[ten ocho recon scout]

He has no business being a leadoff hitter, but that's not his fault, I guess. He's been better than I expected, but still not very good overall. He's had a few clutch hits, but is weak in the field and doesn't get on base enough.

thats probably all true, but every mlb has guys like him starting somewhere on the team. The reason he sticks out is because of how poor everyone else around him is (obviously besides trout/pujols/calhoun).

Aybar has quietly done his normal, which is solid not spectacular. Hes one of those guys who would get more love on a better team. A very good role player where as here hes expected to be more (offensively) than he is. The problem is having a lineup full of guys like him, freese and iannetta, who on their own are decent enough players, but none really special. Im not saying we need to play fantasy baseball and have a stud everywhere, but you take trout off this team and its very, very average at best.

[arch stanton]

But Trout is on this team and this team is going to win the division.

[CanadianHalo]

Hopefully Morin can figure out his issues and return to be helpful as well. Relievers are so annoying. Jeckyl and Hyde

Was weird seeing the media applaud the Jays for "improving" their pen by adding LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe...2 dudes who were rejects in this bullpen just a few years ago

Lowe came in to start the 8th today with a 5-4 run lead...

Struck out the first batter than served up a solo jack to Zobrist. Cain followed with a double, Hosmer single and now Morales single and KC leads 6-5 still with 1 out

Perez sac fly, 7-5 with 2 outs.

The Lowe we all know

Edited August 1, 2015 by CanadianHalo

[Homebrewer]

Sure would have loved to have Zobrist here.

[Dick B Back]

Playoff team yes if:

1. Mike would leave Gio in the top spot and quit trying to fit Victorino or Da Jesus in there.

2. Use Gott, Rasmus, and Ramos as the setup guys to Smith and Street in ANY close game where we are behind, tied, or ahead. Just no to Salas and Alvarez.

[tdawg87]

What defines a "playoff team"? A team that has a great regular season record? Been there, done that, been swept from the first round.

 

It's all about just getting there.