Playoff Push

[kevinb]

Gonna get to .500 before right before trade deadline. Angels are about to go on a run. Everyone's getting hot for the playoff push. 

[mulwin444]

Offense and starting pitching are coming around but the BP is still a shambles so, while possible, I think it's highly optimistic this team reaches a .500 record this season.  

[Revad]

I think your spot on,  Kevin.  Doubt we get to 89 I still bet on  well above 81,

[Lou]

46 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

Offense and starting pitching are coming around but the BP is still a shambles so, while possible, I think it's highly optimistic this team reaches a .500 record this season.  

true, but we found the key to bullpen success

complete games by the starters 

[Sully151]

It's time to be BUYERS!!!!!

[Brandon]

Agreed. Those first rounders always pan out.

[Stradling]

I'm guessing we can all agree this team has balance.  We are equally bad at free agency as we are at drafting. 

[mulwin444]

2 hours ago, Lou said:

true, but we found the key to bullpen success

complete games by the starters 

Add in 8 runs a game and we're set

[John Stellman]

Angels (8-3) have gained 5 games on Texas (3-8) in the last 11. 14 1/2 back puts them in striking distance. The Rangers are in for 3.  Perfect opportunity to get back in the race.

[Oz27]

1 minute ago, John Stellman said:

Angels (8-3) have gained 5 games on Texas (3-8) in the last 11. 14 1/2 back puts them in striking distance. The Rangers are in for 3.  Perfect opportunity to get back in the race.

Striking distance? Really?

Oh man.

[SigBaby]

Maybe we could see a mix of buying and selling. The bullpen very clearly needs to be rebuilt and we might as well start by adding a decent controllable righty who can help next year too and maybe a rental lefty who can actually get lefties out so we can get rid of Alvarez. We saw the lift that adding Grilli had for our bullpen and adding a couple decent arms would improve it drastically. I think Santiago's value is at a good enough level where we can get a solid return for him. Let's be honest his last couple games have been great, but we know how incredibly inconsistent he is and I don't see him turning any corners. I've really liked what I've seen out of Bandy and Perez is capable as a backup so maybe Soto could be traded as well but I don't see us netting anything significant for him. 

In short add a rental lefty (Boone Logan, Mark Rzepcynski), controllable righty (Ryan Pressly, Michael Tonkin (Twins), Kevin Quackenbush (Padres)) none of whom should cost very much prospect-wise. 

And trade Santiago for a solid haul as well as potentially lesser chips like Soto, Nava, and Alvarez. 

 

[Billy_Ball]

2 hours ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

 Of course then they'll go on a run and mess up the draft pick.

Well you know, Matt Shoemaker went undrafted, Albert Pujols was below the 15th round, Shawn Abner was a #1 overall pick, and 24 teams screwed up In the 2009 draft.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

14 minutes ago, SigBaby said:

 I think Santiago's value is at a good enough level where we can get a solid return for him. Let's be honest his last couple games have been great, but we know how incredibly inconsistent he is and I don't see him turning any corners.

 

Did you see Shoemaker tuning the corner 6 weeks ago?

[Oz27]

9 minutes ago, Billy_Ball said:

Well you know, Matt Shoemaker went undrafted, Albert Pujols was below the 15th round, Shawn Abner was a #1 overall pick, and 24 teams screwed up In the 2009 draft.

When people post things like this, I'm really left scratching my head as to what they're trying to say. Are there really people who think having high draft picks is not a beneficial thing?

[disarcina]

this weekend's impressive second half start, three game sweep -- giving up only ONE run -- is a curse in disguise.

it makes folks ignore what numbers it would take to get back into this race for a playoff spot (and a second wild card spot at that -- one game playoff stuff -- how have we done with those over the years??) -- so now it's 'Let's put the FOR SALE sign away and keep Santiago, keep Smith (Mr. Ball Drop), don't dangle Calhoun in front of teams for top quality pitching prospects, keep a weak fielding Escobar at 3b (he does well at the top of the order, he can hit but GEEZ., keep him off the field on defense).

so the Halos don't become SELLERS and in doing so, set up about four to five more years like this one..........

probably would have been better to have gotten blown out these three games -- the yard sale would have be ON starting tomorrow (MONDAY).

and we beat the ChiSox, a team that started the season really hot and has just plunged to the depths since then.........meanwhile Cleveland, Detroit and KC show signs of a race to the wire.......expect at least one W/C spot (if not both -- although they may beat each other up -- one thing I don't like about the second W/C spot-- a really strong division gets penalized because each team plays the other about 18 times a season..........meanwhile in a weaker division with two patsy type teams, teams feed with 15-3 type records against the bottom feeders).

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Despite this little three game winning streak, all we have managed to do is climb into a tie with Oakland for last place in the division, with Texas coming to town. Only two teams in the American League have worse records. We would have to pass eight teams to even qualify for the second wild card. Ain't happening with this cast of characters.

[disarcina]

Vegas Halo Fan - was about to post the same thing after checking the W/C standings on ESPN site........last place tie with Oakland, need to pass 8 teams.........11 games back of the SECOND WILD CARD spot -- and either W/C spot leads to a ONE GAME playoff.........

YIKES !!!

Sacrifice 2018 (2017 is already gone IMO) to 2020-2021 (the rest of Trout's time here) for a slim chance to get into a ONE GAME playoff?

that's the calculus -- not that I ever did very well in calculus, let alone any math...........

 

[Pujols4MVP]

13 minutes ago, Oz27 said:

When people post things like this, I'm really left scratching my head as to what they're trying to say. Are there really people who think having high draft picks is not a beneficial thing?

Amen.

Gerrit Cole was the #1 overall pick in 2011. Trevor Bauer was the #3 overall pick in 2011 & he's having a pretty good year.

Carlos Correa was the #1 overall pick in 2012. Career .840 OPS Shortstop already.

Kris Bryant was drafted #2 overall in 2013.

Harper was the #1 overall pick in 2010. Machado was the #3 overall pick in 2010. Matt Harvey was the #7 overall pick. Pomeranz the #5.

Schwarber was the #4 overall pick in 2014 & had a breakout season last year until getting injured for all of 2016.

Buster Posey was the #5 overall pick in 2008.

 

[Pujols4MVP]

2 minutes ago, disarcina said:

Vegas Halo Fan - was about to post the same thing after checking the W/C standings on ESPN site........last place tie with Oakland, need to pass 8 teams.........11 games back of the SECOND WILD CARD spot -- and either W/C spot leads to a ONE GAME playoff.........

YIKES !!!

Sacrifice 2018 (2017 is already gone IMO) to 2020-2021 (the rest of Trout's time here) for a slim chance to get into a ONE GAME playoff?

that's the calculus -- not that I ever did very well in calculus, let alone any math...........

 

And even if they push for the playoffs they probally end up at 75 wins instead of letting them finish at 60 & get a high pick in each round.

[disarcina]

it's not quite the NBA where a top draft pick can literally turn around a franchise -- LeBron James etc......but top draft picks as the post above shows -- have significant value -- anyone else ever wonder why MLB does not permit trading draft picks like other professional sport leagues do?  The NBA, NFL, NHL ??

[Oz27]

Now seems like a good time to remind people that every statistical evaluation I have found gives us a 0.1 per cent chance of winning the division. It's not happening.

[Oz27]

10 minutes ago, Scioscia4MVP said:

Amen.

Gerrit Cole was the #1 overall pick in 2011. Trevor Bauer was the #3 overall pick in 2011 & he's having a pretty good year.

Carlos Correa was the #1 overall pick in 2012. Career .840 OPS Shortstop already.

Kris Bryant was drafted #2 overall in 2013.

Harper was the #1 overall pick in 2010. Machado was the #3 overall pick in 2010. Matt Harvey was the #7 overall pick. Pomeranz the #5.

Schwarber was the #4 overall pick in 2014 & had a breakout season last year until getting injured for all of 2016.

Buster Posey was the #5 overall pick in 2008.

 

Higher picks, on average, become better players than lower picks. That's a statement of the bleeding obvious, I would think. But plenty here act like it isn't. Absolutely bizarre.

[Pujols4MVP]

There is also this: The Angels won the WS in part because of their #1 overall pick Darin Erstad came thru with a clutch HR.

32.6 WAR Erstad produced for the Angels in his career.  He was a -0.3 WAR after he left.

[Brandon]

4 hours ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

Just like those massive contracts.

Who said anything about massive contracts?

[The God of Runs]

The Halos will make the playoffs