Sell me on the new season

[Red_Planet]

From where I sit I wished for upgrades throughout our woeful line up and defense.  I hoped for a boatload of improves?  Nearly none of which have happened this off-season?  Arte basically sent the old minivan out for detailing and is trying to sell it to us as a way better ride?  Who all among us squatters in his seats are sold?  Or will we just enjoy the upcoming 2016 ride along no matter?  Hey ain't it great to be seeing, talking the grand game once again?  We're all big time seat belted in, yay.

[Chuck]

While I agree with most of the issues you stated above, there's always this to consider.

 

1. Pitching, Defense and Timely hitting win championships. The Giants have never had a great lineup offensively, but their pitching and D has won them 3 World Series over the last 5 years. The KC Royals have also shown that solid defense, pitching and timely hitting can get you to the big show two years in a row. I believe we're solid up the middle where you need to be defensively and I like our starting pitching. The bullpen is a question mark, but we have some solid arms to be average in that department. If this team could hit better with RISP, then look out. We do have a new hitting coach and influx of solid talent on the coaching staff, including Bud Black from the FO. The other improvement over last season is depth in both the offense and pitching departments.

 

2. Every team starts at .000 and there's always a surprise or two coming out of spring training. So many questions, question marks for all teams, but the answers are not realized by so-called baseball experts or fan opinions, but by the actions on the field. Let the games be played! There's always hope for every team and their fan base heading into the season.

 

3. Solid Rosters on paper and winning the offseason do not win championships. See the Padres, Angels, Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers for that in most recent years. Hell, I picked the Nationals to be the favorite to win the World Series last year. The Padres roster last year heading into the season looked like a shoe in to win the NL West. Very sexy on paper. 

 

I think if Pujols is finally healthy, we get more production out of LF than last year (which isn't hard to achieve) and Cron/Calhoun improve upon their 2015 campaigns, we'll be just fine offensively. We finally have a leadoff hitter in Y. Escobar and Simmons is another candidate to improve offensively, not to mention wow us with his glove. Something Aybar struggled with last season. Maybe this Choi kid who Scioscia already likes runs away with the job in LF. Since he's a switch hitter, NO MORE PLATOONS!!!

 

So many questions, but isn't that the fun of it when it comes to spring training. We've already learned that having a sick lineup and roster doesn't mean jack heading into the season. 

 

i'm getting stoked about 2016. Hope ya'll can jump on my bandwagon! 

[Chuck]

Couldn't agree more. Pretty much anything can happen in this game, especially once you're in the playoffs.

 

Word! 

[Blarg]

If you are not excited about the start of a new season you should probably find another interest.

[laagamer]

I like the potential of our starting pitching staff. We are 8 deep.  This I agree with

 

Our bullpen is respectable. This I disagree with

 

I don't like our defense at second base or third base. Terrible defenders. This I agree with

 

Our left field situation looks pretty bad, but it will be hard not to improve on what it was last year. This I agree with

 

Our manager is an idiot. This I disagree with

 

Overall, I think we're a pretty good baseball team, but I don't think we're as good as the Astros or the Rangers. We need our starting pitching to keep us in games and our bullpen to hold our small leads, or else it may be a long year,  I think we kinda suck

 

Basically, we're last years team with a slightly different look  to it. Hopefully, if guys play better than last year, we can at least keep it competitive. I don't see where any of the teams in our division besides the Astros have the talent to run away with it. 

[Aaronkv]

Mike Trout

[Brent Maguire]

-While the future looks a little bleak, the team does have a pretty solid core for now: Mike Trout, Andrelton Simmons, Kole Calhoun, Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs, Nick Tropeano, Carlos Perez, Michael Morin. Trout obviously boosts that whole group's value but that't a pretty good core to work around.

 

-The veterans on the team need to provide value. Pujols, Escobar, Nava, Weaver, Wilson, Smith and Street are all playing vital roles. If we get some sort of production from all of those guys, we could be in good shape. If that group struggles, it may be tough to make the playoffs. 

 

I don't foresee this being a disaster season like some Angels fans think it will be. I also don't see this as a high upside team, either. I have them pegged for a 81-81 season right now but a few strokes of luck and a potential deadline pick up puts the Angels right in the thick of things. I see this team being in it most of the year but I'm not sold that they're a playoff team right now.  

 

With that said, I'm stoked for baseball. I like that the Angels don't necessarily have big expectations pegged to them this year. I'd love for them to surprise everybody and win 88 games and grab a playoff spot. 

Edited February 29, 2016 by Angels_Baseball

[laagamer]

Also, if we are pretty much like last year's team, that would mean we should be pretty good. Not great by any means, but pretty good.

 

We were 10 games over .500 last year and only missed the playoffs by a game.

 

I think we did get a bit lucky to be 10 games over last year, considering we had an overall run differential of -14 on the year, but I still think we were a solid baseball team with glaring weaknesses. 

 

On paper, I think this team is an average to slightly above average baseball team and probably not a favorite to make the playoffs

 

The good thing about that is, what is on paper doesn't really matter.

 

Oh great avatar by the way. I have a feeling I'm going to like you. 

[Broad Street]

I agree with the 2nd/3rd base defense if Cowart doesn't win the starting job, pushing Escobar to 2nd. Then it becomes marginally better at 2nd, and far better at 3rd

[Sully151]

Even possibly crappy baseball is better than no baseball.

[Troll Daddy]

Sell yourself

[bloodbrother]

1. No more crappy cold weather

2. It's baseball

3. Getting to watch Mike Trout play on my favorite team rules

[Red_Planet]

Also, if we are pretty much like last year's team, that would mean we should be pretty good. Not great by any means, but pretty good.

 

We were 8 games over .500 last year and only missed the playoffs by a game.

 

I think we did get a bit lucky to be 8 games over last year, considering we had an overall run differential of -14 on the year, but I still think we were a solid baseball team with glaring weaknesses. 

 

On paper, I think this team is an average to slightly above average baseball team and probably not a favorite to make the playoffs

 

The good thing about that is, what is on paper doesn't really matter.

Last season we were a push vs. KC and Det.  KC 1-6, Det 6-1.  We were 12-7 vs. arch rival Texas.  That could easily be reversed this upcoming season.  That one game back vs. Hou and two back of Tex may be a luxury we might not view again for awhile.  Here's to us.

[floplag]

i have minimal expectations for the season in terms of results.
There are many things that will be fun to watch, seeing how/if certain guys develop and such along with another year of the best player on the planet. 
But... at the end of the day you root for the team to win, and while i think we will be good, we wont be much more than that and im not hopeful to make the playoffs.  I think we wil be close, put up the good fight, and fall a few games short

[Ray McKigney]

I'm liking the overall positivity of the new guys here on AW. Curious to see how long it takes for some of the regulars here to turn them to the dark side.

[Docwaukee]

Barring injury, the performance of the team this season will give us a pretty solid indication of what we are gonna be for the next 3 or 4 years.

 

I am not worried about the offense.  I think it will be above average.  Could it have been better?  Sure, but it will be somewhere between 2014 and 2015

 

I will reserve judgement about 2b defense for now.  Maybe JG turns a corner and becomes serviceable.  I have my doubts, but that is really the only weak link to what is a solid defense across the board and actually quite good in many areas.  

 

The SP and pen are the biggest wildcard.  Richards, Heaney, Skaggs, Tropeano could all develop into solid to very good pitchers and make us formidable for the next 3-4 years.  

 

I get the funny feeling that Wilson is milking his sore shoulder so he doesn't get traded.  By mid April, he will be pretty solid and since he's in a contract year he will perform well.  I think Weave will be in and out of the rotation all year with 'injuries'.  Santiago is going to turn a corner and pitch well for an entire season assuming he stays on his meds.  It will be interesting what Shoe morphs into.  Will he ever regain his 2014 form or is that a fluke now that guys have seen him a few times?  

 

I wish I could sell the bullpen, but that's the one area where I am most concerned.  Street and Smith could completely lose it soon, Morin and Bedrock could easily be what they were last year and not make any progress.  All the filler could be well....filler, but not in a good way.  I feel more downside coming here than upside and I really really hate bad bullpens.  

 

Bad bullpens are the grim reaper to hope.  

 

Floor/Ceiling for wins:  78/93.  I think our mean is a little higher than our median ie somewhere around 87/88.  

 

There is a lot of parity in the AL this year.  On paper, there aren't any cupcakes like there are in the NL, so I think we will be in the mix to the very end.  

[Angel Oracle]

I keep on hearing about I'm the Man Choi (couldn't resist).

What kind of athleticism/arm does he have to play LF?

[Guest]

Mike Trout

[Second Base]

Here's a basic outline of what I'm envisioning...

1B/DH - We'll be better. Cron has turned a corner and Pujols won't tail off like he did before when his foot was injured.

2B - Same. Johnny is an ok hitter and bad defender. Period.

SS - Simmons > Aybar.

3B - Same. Escobar improved leaps and bounds at 3B, this year he'll be decent defensively and more in line with his career averages, which works.

LF - Slightly better. We'll suffer through Nava-Gentry in the same manner we suffered through Joyce. Toward the end we'll see a lot of Choi which at least improves the offense.

CF - Worse. There's just no reason to pitch to Trout and he'll start feeling the pressure to do it all on his own with no supporting cast. He'll expand the zone and get desperate.

RF - Better. Calhoun is better offensively than he showed last year. Better OBP and BA.

Rotation - Better. Richards is improved, Shoemaker is better than we saw, and it's only a matter of time before Tropeano and Skaggs force their way back in.

Bullpen - Same. Morin will be back to his normal self, which replaces Gott. We still lack a definitive lefty specialist. Street-Smith will be very slightly worse while Rasmus and Bedrosian will be healthier/better.

The conclusion: the offense slightly better, the defense is considerably better, the rotation will be better and the bullpen is the same. We won 86 games last year. Texas should be the same, they were super hot and they aren't THAT good, though still good. The Astros are about to explode. Dipoto's flurry of movement will only improve the Mariners slightly a d the A's are an uninspiring bunch.

The end result, I think is 84-78. A solid team that still falls about 5 games short of the playoffs and 10 short in the division.

[Second Base]

Also, we should keep in mind, my last three years worth of standings predictions for the Angels have been absolute crap. Scouting minor leaguers is easier.

2013 - I predicted 92 wins and we won quite a bit less.

2014 - I predicted 87 wins and we won 98.

2015 - I predicted 91 wins and we won 86.

[tdawg87]

Are you sick and tired of watching Albert Pujols limp around on his hurt foot? Frustrated with Jered Weaver chucking 74 MPH heaters? Are you fed up with wasting the best years of Michael Nelson Trout? Then you'll love the 2016 Angels season!

 

Hi, Billy Mays here! I'm dead, but the 2016 Angels playoff hopes are not!

 

Remember how difficult it was watching the cluster**** in left field last season? Well fear no more, as GM Billy Eppler has added a platoon that will really fight those hard-to-reach grease stains.

[Jobu]

Technology invented by NASA!

[GoldenTrout]

I pretty much agree with what is said. We are a slightly above average team on paper but in baseball, anything can happen. At the end of the day, we have Mike Trout and if you cant get excited watching him, then you might not like baseball at all. Trout is pretty darn good. 

[Dave Saltzer]

While I agree with most of the issues you stated above, there's always this to consider.

1. Pitching, Defense and Timely hitting win championships. The Giants have never had a great lineup offensively, but their pitching and D has won them 3 World Series over the last 5 years. The KC Royals have also shown that solid defense, pitching and timely hitting can get you to the big show two years in a row. I believe we're solid up the middle where you need to be defensively and I like our starting pitching. The bullpen is a question mark, but we have some solid arms to be average in that department. If this team could hit better with RISP, then look out. We do have a new hitting coach and influx of solid talent on the coaching staff, including Bud Black from the FO. The other improvement over last season is depth in both the offense and pitching departments.

2. Every team starts at .000 and there's always a surprise or two coming out of spring training. So many questions, question marks for all teams, but the answers are not realized by so-called baseball experts or fan opinions, but by the actions on the field. Let the games be played! There's always hope for every team and their fan base heading into the season.

3. Solid Rosters on paper and winning the offseason do not win championships. See the Padres, Angels, Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers for that in most recent years. Hell, I picked the Nationals to be the favorite to win the World Series last year. The Padres roster last year heading into the season looked like a shoe in to win the NL West. Very sexy on paper.

I think if Pujols is finally healthy, we get more production out of LF than last year (which isn't hard to achieve) and Cron/Calhoun improve upon their 2015 campaigns, we'll be just fine offensively. We finally have a leadoff hitter in Y. Escobar and Simmons is another candidate to improve offensively, not to mention wow us with his glove. Something Aybar struggled with last season. Maybe this Choi kid who Scioscia already likes runs away with the job in LF. Since he's a switch hitter, NO MORE PLATOONS!!!

So many questions, but isn't that the fun of it when it comes to spring training. We've already learned that having a sick lineup and roster doesn't mean jack heading into the season.

i'm getting stoked about 2016. Hope ya'll can jump on my bandwagon!

I agree with most of what Chuck said, but I would also add that I don't see any team running away with this division. It's going to be close for all of us. Just by subtraction we improved LF, and 3B will be better. Scioscia is finally going to bat Trout 3rd for a whole season, so that will make the lineup more structured. I think that we will be close and will take a few lucky breaks for us to make the playoffs. I will be optimistic, because that's who I am, and will hope that it does turn out that way.

[California Cajun]

From where I sit I wished for upgrades throughout our woeful line up and defense.  I hoped for a boatload of improves?  Nearly none of which have happened this off-season?  Arte basically sent the old minivan out for detailing and is trying to sell it to us as a way better ride?  Who all among us squatters in his seats are sold?  Or will we just enjoy the upcoming 2016 ride along no matter?  Hey ain't it great to be seeing, talking the grand game once again?  We're all big time seat belted in, yay.

The Angels have a good pitching staff. That's the #1 determining factor.

Other than that we need some surprise performances. I think we can win from 75 to 90 games depending on variables. Let's hope for 90.

The Angels needed to address at least LF in a meaningful way and didn't. But a pitching-based team gives us a shot.