some observations

[stormngt]

I agree with just about everything you said. But how did Mike screw it up?

This team, as constructed was never going to be a playoff team. Anyone who thought that, should have their head examined. This team, as constructed was going to be competitive, with an eye to the future. Jerry, as much as people may not like him, was building a staff for the years to come. Heaney, Skaggs, GRich, Trop, Santiago and maybe Shoe. We have glaring holes at 3rd, LF, C. But Jerry tried to address those by moving for Kubitza. Jerry had a plan, Mike just screwed it up.

[stormngt]

If we make the playoffs MS should be manager of the year. Our 7-9 a have been a disaster. I hope the new acquisitions will step up. However for they have been just as bad the first week.

1) Huh? Source?

2) The bullpen definitely has issues There's basically nobody dependable after Street and Smith. Part of this is Mike Morin sucking this year. Surprised Stoneman didn't make a move at the deadline, but I have to believe there just wasn't a deal to be had that he thought made sense.

3) Gia's defense is not great, but it's also at about #127 on the list of this team's issues.

4) The standings say otherwise. As of today they ARE a playoff team, and that's after losing 9 out of 10.

Are they a flawed team? For sure. But so were both of last year's World Series teams.

[Stradling]

I agree with just about everything you said. But how did Mike screw it up?

Mike screwed it up by not sharing all of the information with the players. If Mike would have been doing that then Jerry wouldn't have quit, because then they wouldn't have had the secondary meeting that resulted in the players having Mike's back. I don't think much of that is up for debate except the notion that Jerry wouldn't have quit.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

MIke didn't screw anything up.   He's still here and right now, his team is a playoff team.

 

Mike was tired of Jerry's shit.

 

17-3 and 1-9 is still 18-12, which isn't horrible.

Edited August 4, 2015 by SOTO

[tomsred]

Mike screwed it up by not sharing all of the information with the players. If Mike would have been doing that then Jerry wouldn't have quit, because then they wouldn't have had the secondary meeting that resulted in the players having Mike's back. I don't think much of that is up for debate except the notion that Jerry wouldn't have quit.

 

When you're an athlete with a good coach, does that coach give you all the information he can?  Or does that coach see your problems, and give you only the information he believes you need for success?  Seems like anything beyond that just clutters up your mind, and makes it more difficult for you to perform well.

[tomsred]

MIke didn't screw anything up.   He's still here and right now, his team is a playoff team.

 

Mike was tired of Jerry's shit.

 

17-3 and 1-9 is still 18-12, which isn't horrible.

 

True, and unlike Jerry, he hasn't quit.

[stormngt]

Sorry but is a stupid reason to quit. It was already settled that the information was going to go to the players.

Mike screwed it up by not sharing all of the information with the players. If Mike would have been doing that then Jerry wouldn't have quit, because then they wouldn't have had the secondary meeting that resulted in the players having Mike's back. I don't think much of that is up for debate except the notion that Jerry wouldn't have quit.

[Stradling]

storm, I am not going to go through this with you, it was frustrating reading it the last time. Should he have quit, no, but do we know exactly why he quit, no. If he was being undermined or wasn't given the power a gm should have then he should have quit. Would I have quit, no, I would have been fired, because I would have pushed Arte to make a decision, and we know what would that decision would have been.

[stormngt]

The day before MD quit Scioscia said everything is worked out and the players were going to get scouting reports from front office. So your speculated reason why he quit really isn't valid

I agree neither one of us knows why he really quit. Since I like MD I speculate the problem maybe with Arte more so than MS.

All we really know is what has been brought out in the open. And as much I like MD based only on what has been reported it shows more that MD is the one who screwed things up.

storm, I am not going to go through this with you, it was frustrating reading it the last time. Should he have quit, no, but do we know exactly why he quit, no. If he was being undermined or wasn't given the power a gm should have then he should have quit. Would I have quit, no, I would have been fired, because I would have pushed Arte to make a decision, and we know what would that decision would have been.

[WallyWorld]

who the **** is MD?

[m0nkey]

who the **** is MD?

Doc

[BaseballMom]

True, and unlike Jerry, he hasn't quit.

 

He kinda quits, every time he puts Salas in a game with runners on....

[tomsred]

Doc

 

No it's not, it's Mike Dipoto.

[ten ocho recon scout]

who the **** is MD?

i think hes talking about when dochalo made the thread about taking a break

[tomsred]

He kinda quits, every time he puts Salas in a game with runners on....

 

Oh com'on, admit it, you just don't trust Mexicans ever since the Alamo got leveled. 

[tomsred]

i think hes talking about when dochalo made the thread about taking a break

 

Yeah, you're probably right.  Maybe Dipoto didn't quit. Maybe he's "just taking a break."

[Vegas Halo Fan]

storm, I am not going to go through this with you, it was frustrating reading it the last time. Should he have quit, no, but do we know exactly why he quit, no. If he was being undermined or wasn't given the power a gm should have then he should have quit. Would I have quit, no, I would have been fired, because I would have pushed Arte to make a decision, and we know what would that decision would have been.

 

I have given up even discussing the topic when Storm is around. I have nothing against the guy, but somewhere along the way you have to let go.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[m0nkey]

That's one way of putting it

[bloodbrother]

Agreed that this team isn't that good but the AL as a whole is pretty mediocre this year. Having Trout and some good SP keeps them in the mix but it'll take a lot for this team to not only make but actually win in the postseason. They don't have the horses for it IMO. Lot of replacement players and stop-gap options on offense and a thin bullpen.

 

 

The thing that I'm worried about is what schmuck they bring in to be the team's new "GM" going forward. After the Dipoto fiasco, I'm not expecting anybody with any sort of vision or forward thinking to get the role but rather some Sosh buddy who will nod in approval as Sosh uses the power of "feel" to fill out the roster. I always figured 2015 and 2016 would be the years that the Halos just need to tread water a bit because all of those big contracts they dished out that were backloaded. They're all coming to a head, especially in 2016. Those moves handicap them financially and fill out a good chunk of the roster with players that aren't taht productive.

 

Good news is this team seems to be set at SP going forward so they should be able to have money down the road to fill out the holes they have on offense, which are many.  Right now, they have no long-term answer at 2B, LF, DH. 3B may also be an issue depending on your thoughts on Kubitza/Cowart but at least they have options there I guess. Iannetta is a FA after this season and I don't think Taylor Ward will be ready at the start of 2016. Will Baldoquin be ready after Aybar's contract is up after the 2016 season?

 

This new GM will have his work cut out for him fixing this offense

Edited August 4, 2015 by bloodbrother

[AngelsLakersFan]

Agreed completely on the draft. I get having draft picks be based on reverse order of the standings, but the severe dropoff in slot bonus money basically amounts to naked promotion of tanking. It is outrageous that the team with the worst regular season record should get 17% more first round slot money than the second worst team, double the money of the fifth worst team, and quadruple the money of the 20th worst team. All of those teams are just as not in the playoffs as each other. Incentivizing blowing up the rosters and losing games with payment structures like this is just plain anti-competitive and has spoiled the entertainment value of the sport in places like Houston and Miami for much of the last decade.

 

I for one see nothing wrong with the Dodgers recent workaround strategy (that many in the media have pretended to be upset about) of taking on salary in trades in exchange for getting bundled compensation draft pics. The draft rules are what is outrageous. 

 

The Dodgers method is the only way to build a team anymore. The downside is that you end up with a ton of bloated contracts for players you need to find playing time for but don't really need, and are generally untradeable. 

[Blarg]

Sounds like the exact wrong way to do things.

Edited August 4, 2015 by notti

[Guest]

Sounds like the exact wrong way to do things.

Problem is, only other other way to significantly improve teams anymore is to go full Astros and suck for several years. Worthwhile players almost never make it to free agency anymore, and on the rare occasion they do MLB has a ridiculously punitive policy of removing the first round draft pick of the team signing the free agent.

[Stradling]

Or draft and develop well like the Giants and Cardinals.

[Inside Pitch]

The bolded part of your quote is a huge shame. The regular season should be more meaningful in baseball than it is in basketball or hockey. In those other sports there is is far less element of luck in any one game so a multi-round tournament is a reasonable way of identifying the best overall team instead of just the hottest.  

 

MLB should have never added the second wild card round, but now we are stuck with it as more owners feel they are in contention right up to the end which is likely better for attendance. If they must have a second wild card it, the format should be a best of three all at home park of the top seed. A coinflip game is an insult to teams that might be 6 or more games up on the second wild card team in the standings. Using 2-3 pitchers would also result in a greater disadvantage to the wild card team in the first round, therefore a greater advantage to having the best overall record. First round of the playoffs should be a best of 7 as well. 

 

Its not the wild cards that's changed the postseason IMO.  Its the added days off to accommodate the TV schedule - that's completely changed how teams play in the postseason and nullified the strengths and weaknesses of certain teams.  A team with 5 capable starters but no shutdown guy is tough during the regularly season but at a disadvantage in the postseason .vs a team sporting a King Felix and the sort...  There is no way the Giants can ride Bum the way they did last year in postseason play setting that more closely resembles the regular season.   The changes to how teams draft has also IMO dramatically altered how teams go about things.   Nobody had ever purposely publicly tanked til recently.

 

Baseball's chase of the all mighty dollar has IMO weakened/cheapened the postseason.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[Puget Sound Angel]

Barring a complete collapse, I would say we are still a playoff team, but not much beyond that.