Don't give up! And here's why...

[Angelsjunky]

1. Mike Trout is heating up. Over the last week or so we've seen signs of the 2012 version and we all know how he can carry a team.

 

2. Josh Hamilton can't get worse. In fact, he can get better - much better. He'll get there. Obviously something's quite wrong, but I think he'll figure it out.

 

3. The starting pitching has been solid. Great? No, but we knew that going into the season. Good? Not quite, but improving. Good enough? That depends upon the offense. Oh yeah, and Jered Weaver is coming back...at some point.

 

4. Mark Trumbo hath arrived.

 

5. Oh yeah, its early. Well, not really but there are still 131 games left. I for one am not throwing in the towel. If they're still flailing by the end of the month after the easy upcoming schedule, we can nail the coffin shut, but not yet...

 

And that's exactly why I think we're going to see a surge: The schedule is very easy coming forward and the Angels are going to rack up a ton of wins. I don't think they'll quite get to .500 by June, by they'll be close. And if they can carry that momentum through June and July they'll be back in it for the stretch drive.

 

So don't give up! Let's give it a few weeks, see how this team fares against the underbelly of the AL. If they aren't kicking butt a few weeks from now I'll light the funeral pyre myself.

[VariousCrap]

lol

[Ochocinco!]

Wht he said^

[Schildog]

9 games back... it's over for the west. 

[gotbeer]

[MattFromSimiValley]

Actually, there's reason you should really give up now. You saw how last season ended, the Angels finished 3rd in the division. Well that team was better than this team. The starting pitching was far far far better, they had 2 aces in Weaver and Greinke. This year they have 0 aces and a bunch of scraps. Last year they had Torri Hunter who had a stellar season and Mike Trout having one of the greatest offensive seasons ever. Mike Trout will not replicate last year, I mean he's still great, but he is not replicating 2012 and Torri Hunter is gone. So if you do the math they will have a worse season than 2012 and possibly finish behind the Mariners who improved their baseball team.

[Fontana Halo]

The good teams that get off the slow starts with slumping stars still do fundamental things right even when they're losing - run the bases, don't make errors, make pitchers earn outs, etc. This team has shown very little ability - or willingness - to do any of that.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

It's over

[mulwin444]

AJ, what some are trying to say here is your optimism and perspective are messing with their negativeity/hate-fueled buzz and it is not welcome.  The only possible outcome is continual descent into oblivion.  Please note this for future posts.

[MattFromSimiValley]

AJ, what some are trying to say here is your optimism and perspective are messing with their negativeity/hate-fueled buzz and it is not welcome.  The only possible outcome is continual descent into oblivion.  Please note this for future posts.

 

I believe it's fueled by THE WORST START IN THE HISTORY OF THE FRANCHISE!

[mulwin444]

Let's look at it another way...if the Angels roster from the beginning was:

 

1B - Trumbo

2B - Kendrick

3B - Lucho Jimenez

SS - Brendan Harris/Andrew Romine

DH - Pujols

LF - Shuck

CF - Trout

RF - Hamllton

C - Ianetta/Conger

 

Rotation - Wilson, Hanson, Vargas, Blanton, Williams

BP - Richards, De La Rosa, Kohn, Brasier, Enright, Frieri

 

What would you project their win total to be?  I think it would be optimistic for this group to reach .500

[Inside Pitch]

So don't give up! Let's give it a few weeks, see how this team fares against the underbelly of the AL. If they aren't kicking butt a few weeks from now I'll light the funeral pyre myself.

 

I'd bet that if this team hasn't raised it's level of play while playing the weak sisters of the AL this month that heads will roll.

[rageous]

It all depends on what the goal is.

If the goal is to have a respectable season and finish above .500 yes the season is not over but if the goal is to make the playoffs and have a chance to win the world series, the season is pretty close to over.

Realistically with their current record they have somewhere around 10% chance to make the playoffs.

And I would rather have the team tank rather than finish somewhere around .500.

The second option means that the Angels will sign another over the hill free agent and lose another draft pick.

[fan_since79]

With two wild card spots to consider, it's too early to give up. Let's see what happens in May.

[mtangelsfan]

[robblin17]

I truly believe it is over, but I will continue to support this team for just the hope that I am so very wrong. I would have ZERO problem with being wrong if it meant we were going to contend. 

 

That being said, if we can somehow get to around 4.5-5 games back before the All-Star Game I would be stoked. 

[nando714]

Season over

[Jason]

Everything in the original post is true but they never happen at the same time in a game.

[Angelsjunky]

AJ, what some are trying to say here is your optimism and perspective are messing with their negativeity/hate-fueled buzz and it is not welcome.  The only possible outcome is continual descent into oblivion.  Please note this for future posts.

 

Ha ha, true.

 

Actually, this thread reminds me that pessimism isn't inherently any more rational or truthful than optimism.

 

That said, it is obviously true that the odds are against the Angels. But the purpose of the original post is to point out how the door is not shut yet, that there is a road towards the playoffs that actually has a chance of happening. Whether that's a 10 or 50% chance, I don't know - and there really is no way to put it into a percentage. But is certainly more than a "Dumb and Dumber" chance.

[MattFromSimiValley]

Actually, this thread reminds me that pessimism isn't inherently any more rational or truthful than optimism.

 

How so? The reason for the pessimism is based on truth and actual facts of what it happening. They were AWFUL in spring training and they have had the worst start in the history of the franchise over the first month and a week. All facts and truths point to the team sucking huge big donkey balls. Anybody who thinks otherwise is basing it on blind faith and blind faith is stupid.

[Troll Daddy]

Angels opened the season at 9/1 favorites

 

They are now currently 18/1 favorites

 

Mariners are currently 150/1   Vegas still has hope for the Angels it seems.

[Chuck]

The fat lady isn't singing so I haven't given up.

Good post, AJ.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

We sound like Lakers fans

[tdawg87]

I would be optimistic if the team as a whole was showing signs of "breaking out". You can pick apart individual achievements and say "oh this is a good sign", but in the end of the day it hasn't helped sh*t. If it isn't one thing with this team, it's another. Offense is hot? Pitching sucks. Pitching is dominant? Offense goes to sleep. Starting pitching is good and the offense is clicking? Bullpen blows it. The one constant this year has been the defense, which has constantly sucked.

 

So no, I won't literally "give up", but it's very difficult to be optimistic about this team right now.

[MattFromSimiValley]

I feel bad for Trumbo that he has to share a locker room and sit on the bench with this group of losers.